Controlling 229Th isomeric state population in a VUV transparent crystal

Takahiro Hiraki, Koichi Okai, Michael Bartokos, Kjeld Beeks, Hiroyuki Fujimoto, Yuta Fukunaga, Hiromitsu Haba, Yoshitaka Kasamatsu, Shinji Kitao, Adrian Leitner, Takahiko Masuda, Ming Guan, Nobumoto Nagasawa, Ryoichiro Ogake, Martin Pimon, Martin Pressler, Noboru Sasao, Fabian Schaden, Thorsten Schumm, Makoto Seto, Yudai Shigekawa, Kotaro Shimizu, Tomas Sikorsky, Kenji Tamasaku, Sayuri Takatori, Tsukasa Watanabe, Atsushi Yamaguchi, Yoshitaka Yoda, Akihiro Yoshimi () and Koji Yoshimura
Additional contact information
Takahiro Hiraki: Okayama University
Koichi Okai: Okayama University
Michael Bartokos: TU Wien
Kjeld Beeks: TU Wien
Hiroyuki Fujimoto: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
Yuta Fukunaga: Okayama University
Hiromitsu Haba: RIKEN
Yoshitaka Kasamatsu: Osaka University
Shinji Kitao: Kyoto University
Adrian Leitner: TU Wien
Takahiko Masuda: Okayama University
Ming Guan: Okayama University
Nobumoto Nagasawa: Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute
Ryoichiro Ogake: Okayama University
Martin Pimon: TU Wien
Martin Pressler: TU Wien
Noboru Sasao: Okayama University
Fabian Schaden: TU Wien
Thorsten Schumm: TU Wien
Makoto Seto: Kyoto University
Yudai Shigekawa: RIKEN
Kotaro Shimizu: Okayama University
Tomas Sikorsky: TU Wien
Kenji Tamasaku: RIKEN SPring-8 Center
Sayuri Takatori: Okayama University
Tsukasa Watanabe: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
Atsushi Yamaguchi: RIKEN
Yoshitaka Yoda: Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute
Akihiro Yoshimi: Okayama University
Koji Yoshimura: Okayama University

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract The radioisotope thorium-229 (229Th) is renowned for its extraordinarily low-energy, long-lived nuclear first-excited state. This isomeric state can be excited by vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) lasers and 229Th has been proposed as a reference transition for ultra-precise nuclear clocks. To assess the feasibility and performance of the nuclear clock concept, time-controlled excitation and depopulation of the 229Th isomer are imperative. Here we report the population of the 229Th isomeric state through resonant X-ray pumping and detection of the radiative decay in a VUV transparent 229Th-doped CaF2 crystal. The decay half-life is measured to 447(25) s, with a transition wavelength of 148.18(42) nm and a radiative decay fraction consistent with unity. Furthermore, we report a new “X-ray quenching” effect which allows to de-populate the isomer on demand and effectively reduce the half-life. Such controlled quenching can be used to significantly speed up the interrogation cycle in future nuclear clock schemes.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49631-0

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