2026-08-20T02:02:48Zhttps://docta.ucm.es/rest/oai/request

oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/883492024-09-24T16:06:54Zcom_20.500.14352_14col_20.500.14352_15

Verlinde, M Kraemer, S. Moens, J. Fraile Prieto, Luis Mario Wilkins, S. G. 2023-10-19T18:23:03Z 2023-10-19T18:23:03Z 2019-08-12 2469-9985 10.1103/PhysRevC.100.024315 https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/88349 2469-9993 https://journals.aps.org/prc/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevC.100.024315 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. eng open access Alternative approach to populate and study the ^229 Th nuclear clock isomer journal article