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Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh
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Frequency reproducibility of solid-state thorium-229 nuclear clocks.

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Solid-state thorium-229 (229Th) nuclear clocks offer enhanced precision metrology. Researchers characterized the 229Th:CaF2 nuclear clock transition, finding optimal temperature and high frequency reproducibility for future compact clocks.

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Area of Science:

  • Nuclear physics
  • Metrology
  • Solid-state physics

Background:

  • Solid-state thorium-229 (229Th) nuclear clocks are emerging as powerful tools for precision metrology and fundamental physics research.
  • Their low sensitivity to environmental factors and potential for high emitter density in solid-state crystals offer advantages over current atomic clocks.
  • Solid-state systems requiring only simple thermal control are crucial for developing compact, field-deployable clocks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore and characterize the frequency reproducibility of the 229Th:CaF2 nuclear clock transition.
  • To investigate the impact of doping concentration, temperature, and time on the transition's linewidth and center frequency.
  • To establish a foundation for controlling coherent nuclear excitation of 229Th in solid-state hosts.

Main Methods:

  • Measurement of the transition linewidth and center frequency under varying doping concentrations, temperatures, and over time.
  • Characterization of the concentration-dependent inhomogeneous linewidth, identifying limitations due to intrinsic host crystal properties.
  • Determination of an optimal working temperature (196(5) K) where first-order thermal sensitivity vanishes.

Main Results:

  • The concentration-dependent inhomogeneous linewidth of the nuclear transition was reported, limited by the CaF2 crystal properties.
  • An optimal working temperature of 196(5) K was identified, at which the first-order thermal sensitivity becomes negligible.
  • At 195 K, a frequency reproducibility of 220 Hz (1.1 × 10^-13 fractional uncertainty) was achieved for two differently doped 229Th:CaF2 crystals over seven months.

Conclusions:

  • The study provides foundational data for understanding and controlling the coherent nuclear excitation of 229Th in solid-state hosts.
  • The identified optimal temperature and achieved reproducibility pave the way for developing highly stable, compact nuclear clocks.
  • These advancements hold potential for applications in constraining temporal variations of fundamental constants and enhancing precision metrology.