Frequency ratio of the $^{229\mathrm{m}}$Th nuclear isomeric transition and the $^{87}$Sr atomic clock
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2024
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| _version_ | 1866910594368536576 |
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| author | Zhang, Chuankun Ooi, Tian Higgins, Jacob S. Doyle, Jack F. von der Wense, Lars Beeks, Kjeld Leitner, Adrian Kazakov, Georgy Li, Peng Thirolf, Peter G. Schumm, Thorsten Ye, Jun |
| author_facet | Zhang, Chuankun Ooi, Tian Higgins, Jacob S. Doyle, Jack F. von der Wense, Lars Beeks, Kjeld Leitner, Adrian Kazakov, Georgy Li, Peng Thirolf, Peter G. Schumm, Thorsten Ye, Jun |
| contents | Optical atomic clocks$^{1,2}$ use electronic energy levels to precisely keep track of time. A clock based on nuclear energy levels promises a next-generation platform for precision metrology and fundamental physics studies. Thorium-229 nuclei exhibit a uniquely low energy nuclear transition within reach of state-of-the-art vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) laser light sources and have therefore been proposed for construction of the first nuclear clock$^{3,4}$. However, quantum state-resolved spectroscopy of the $^{229m}$Th isomer to determine the underlying nuclear structure and establish a direct frequency connection with existing atomic clocks has yet to be performed. Here, we use a VUV frequency comb to directly excite the narrow $^{229}$Th nuclear clock transition in a solid-state CaF$_2$ host material and determine the absolute transition frequency. We stabilize the fundamental frequency comb to the JILA $^{87}$Sr clock$^2$ and coherently upconvert the fundamental to its 7th harmonic in the VUV range using a femtosecond enhancement cavity. This VUV comb establishes a frequency link between nuclear and electronic energy levels and allows us to directly measure the frequency ratio of the $^{229}$Th nuclear clock transition and the $^{87}$Sr atomic clock. We also precisely measure the nuclear quadrupole splittings and extract intrinsic properties of the isomer. These results mark the start of nuclear-based solid-state optical clock and demonstrate the first comparison of nuclear and atomic clocks for fundamental physics studies. This work represents a confluence of precision metrology, ultrafast strong field physics, nuclear physics, and fundamental physics. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2406_18719 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Frequency ratio of the $^{229\mathrm{m}}$Th nuclear isomeric transition and the $^{87}$Sr atomic clock Zhang, Chuankun Ooi, Tian Higgins, Jacob S. Doyle, Jack F. von der Wense, Lars Beeks, Kjeld Leitner, Adrian Kazakov, Georgy Li, Peng Thirolf, Peter G. Schumm, Thorsten Ye, Jun Atomic Physics Nuclear Experiment Optics Quantum Physics Optical atomic clocks$^{1,2}$ use electronic energy levels to precisely keep track of time. A clock based on nuclear energy levels promises a next-generation platform for precision metrology and fundamental physics studies. Thorium-229 nuclei exhibit a uniquely low energy nuclear transition within reach of state-of-the-art vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) laser light sources and have therefore been proposed for construction of the first nuclear clock$^{3,4}$. However, quantum state-resolved spectroscopy of the $^{229m}$Th isomer to determine the underlying nuclear structure and establish a direct frequency connection with existing atomic clocks has yet to be performed. Here, we use a VUV frequency comb to directly excite the narrow $^{229}$Th nuclear clock transition in a solid-state CaF$_2$ host material and determine the absolute transition frequency. We stabilize the fundamental frequency comb to the JILA $^{87}$Sr clock$^2$ and coherently upconvert the fundamental to its 7th harmonic in the VUV range using a femtosecond enhancement cavity. This VUV comb establishes a frequency link between nuclear and electronic energy levels and allows us to directly measure the frequency ratio of the $^{229}$Th nuclear clock transition and the $^{87}$Sr atomic clock. We also precisely measure the nuclear quadrupole splittings and extract intrinsic properties of the isomer. These results mark the start of nuclear-based solid-state optical clock and demonstrate the first comparison of nuclear and atomic clocks for fundamental physics studies. This work represents a confluence of precision metrology, ultrafast strong field physics, nuclear physics, and fundamental physics. |
| title | Frequency ratio of the $^{229\mathrm{m}}$Th nuclear isomeric transition and the $^{87}$Sr atomic clock |
| topic | Atomic Physics Nuclear Experiment Optics Quantum Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.18719 |