Laser Excitation of the Th-229 Nucleus

verfasst von
J. Tiedau, M. V. Okhapkin, K. Zhang, J. Thielking, G. Zitzer, E. Peik, F. Schaden, T. Pronebner, I. Morawetz, L. Toscani De Col, F. Schneider, A. Leitner, M. Pressler, G. A. Kazakov, K. Beeks, T. Sikorsky, T. Schumm
Abstract

The 8.4 eV nuclear isomer state in Th-229 is resonantly excited in Th-doped CaF2 crystals using a tabletop tunable laser system. A resonance fluorescence signal is observed in two crystals with different Th-229 dopant concentrations, while it is absent in a control experiment using Th-232. The nuclear resonance for the Th4+ ions in Th:CaF2 is measured at the wavelength 148.3821(5) nm, frequency 2020.409(7) THz, and the fluorescence lifetime in the crystal is 630(15) s, corresponding to an isomer half-life of 1740(50) s for a nucleus isolated in vacuum. These results pave the way toward Th-229 nuclear laser spectroscopy and realizing optical nuclear clocks.

Externe Organisation(en)
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)
Vienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology
Typ
Artikel
Journal
Physical review letters
Band
132
ISSN
0031-9007
Publikationsdatum
29.04.2024
Publikationsstatus
Veröffentlicht
Peer-reviewed
Ja
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
Physik und Astronomie (insg.)
Elektronische Version(en)
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.182501 (Zugang: Offen)