English

Nuclear clocks based on resonant excitation of gamma-transitions

Nuclear Experiment 2015-06-18 v1 Atomic Physics

Abstract

We review the ideas and concepts for a clock that is based on a radiative transition in the nucleus rather than in the electron shell. This type of clock offers advantages like an insensitivity against field-induced systematic frequency shifts and the opportunity to obtain high stability from interrogating many nuclei in the solid state. Experimental work concentrates on the low-energy (about 8 eV) isomeric transition in Th-229. We review the status of the experiments that aim at a direct optical observation of this transition and outline the plans for high-resolution laser spectroscopy experiments.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1502.07322,
  title  = {Nuclear clocks based on resonant excitation of gamma-transitions},
  author = {Ekkehard Peik and Maxim Okhapkin},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1502.07322},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

Invited review paper for Comptes Rendus de Physique, thematic issue 'The Measurement of Time'