%0 Journal Article
%A Verlinde, M
%A Kraemer, S.
%A Moens, J.
%A Fraile Prieto, Luis Mario
%A Wilkins, S. G.
%T Alternative approach to populate and study the ^229 Th nuclear clock isomer
%D 2019
%@ 2469-9985
%U https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/88349
%X A new approach to observe the radiative decay of the ^229 Th nuclear isomer, and to determine its energy and radiative lifetime, is presented. Situated at a uniquely low excitation energy, this nuclear state might be a key ingredient for the development of a nuclear clock or a nuclear laser and, the search for time variations of fundamental constants like the fine structure constant. The isomer's gamma decay towards the ground state will be studied with a high-resolution vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectrometer after its production by the beta decay of ^Ac 229. The novel production method presents a number of advantages asserting its competitive nature with respect to the commonly used ^U 233 alpha-decay recoil source. In this paper, a feasibility analysis of this new concept, and an experimental investigation of its key ingredients, using a pure ^Ac 229 ion beam produced at the ISOLDE radioactive beam facility, is reported.
%~