Photo-Induced Quenching of the 229Th Isomer in a Solid-State Host

2024/12/12 by J. E. S. Terhune, Terhune, J. E. S., ROBERT ELWELL +13 · 3 citations
Physics and Astronomy · Engineering · Materials Science · #Advanced Chemical Physics Studies #Superconducting Materials and Applications #Nuclear Materials and Properties

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2412.08998

Abstract

The population dynamics of the 229Th isomeric state is studied in a solid-state host under laser illumination. A photoquenching process is observed, where off-resonant vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) radiation leads to relaxation of the isomeric state. The cross-section for this photoquenching process is measured and a model for the decay process, where photoexcitation of electronic states within the material bandgap opens an internal conversion decay channel, is presented and appears to reproduce the measured cross-section.

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• Laser Mössbauer spectroscopy of ²²⁹Th
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