Photoinduced quenching of the Th 229 isomer in a solid-state host
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The population dynamics of the Th 229 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 band gap opens an internal conversion decay channel, is presented and appears to reproduce the measured cross-section. By engineering defects into Th 229 -doped solid-state hosts, this previously unrecognized photoquenching process may be used to reduce the clock transition readout time and thereby increase the stability of the nuclear clock.
Source: Physical Review Research
DOI: 10.1103/glzr-thyw
Authors: J. E. S. Terhune, R. Elwell, H. B. Tran Tan, U. C. Perera, H. W. T. Morgan, A. N. Alexandrova, Andrei Derevianko, Eric R. Hudson
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,625
Awards: PM: Atomic Parity Violation and Multi-Messenger Astronomy with Atomic Clocks, Track 4: Advanced CI Coordination Ecosystem: Monitoring and Measurement Services, QLCI-CI: NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Present and Future Quantum Computing, Investigation of the Low-Lying Nuclear Isomeric Transition in the A=229 Isotope of Thorium, Track 1: ACCESS Resource Allocations Marketplace and Platform Services (RAMPS), ACO: An Open CI Ecosystem to Advance Scientific Discovery (OpenCI), G4937660932, Track 3: COre National Ecosystem for CyberinfrasTructure (CONECT), Track 2: Customized Multi-tier Assistance, Training, and Computational Help (MATCH) for End User ACCESS to CI
OpenAlex ID: W4410351073