Isomeric excitation of ^{229}\mathrm{Th} via scanning tunneling microscope
Abstract
The low energy of the isomeric state of the radionuclide thorium-229 (229Th) makes it highly promising for applications in fundamental physics, precision metrology, and quantum technologies. However, directly accessing the isomeric state from its ground state remains a challenge. We propose here a tabletop approach utilizing the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) technique to induce excitation of a single 229Th nucleus. With achievable parameters, the isomeric excitation rate is advantageous over existing methods, allowing the excitation and control of 229Th on the single-nucleus level. It offers the unique potential of exciting and detecting subsequent decay from a single nucleus, providing a new direction for future experimental investigation of the 229Th isomeric state.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2310.06352,
title = {Isomeric excitation of ^{229}\mathrm{Th} via scanning tunneling microscope},
author = {Xue Zhang and Tao Li and Xu Wang and Hui Dong},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2310.06352},
year = {2023}
}