Atomic & molecular structure ; Atomic, optical and lattice clocks ; Electronic structure of atoms & molecules ; Electronic transitions
Zusammenfassung
We propose that a nuclear clock based on the Th v ion can surpass the accuracy of clocks built with other thorium ions. The Th4+ ion has a rigid closed-shell core with zero total electron angular momentum, suppressing frequency shifts from black-body radiation and stray external fields that act mainly on electrons. We calculate the energy shift of the nuclear clock transition frequency in 229Th due to the Coulomb field of atomic electrons and find a relative frequency difference of 2.8×10−7 between Th iv and Th v, 12 orders of magnitude larger than the projected 10−19
fractional uncertainty of a nuclear clock. We also perform calculations for Th v energy levels, ionization potential, static polarizability, quadratic Zeeman shift, and the black-body radiation shift of the nuclear line. Additionally, we determine the nuclear transition frequencies in two thorium ions and a neutral atom: ν𝑁 = 2,020,406.964(70) GHz in Th iii, ν𝑁 = 2,020,408.264(100) GHz in Th ii, and ν𝑁 = 2,020,408.364(100)GHz in Th i.
Kostenfreier Zugang
Open Access Hybrid
Rechteinformation
CC BY 4.0 ; Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
Themenbereich der Metrologie
Zeit und Frequenz
Geschäftsfelder
Grundlagen der Metrologie
Zitierung
Flambaum, V., Dzuba, V., & Peik, E. (2025). Nuclear clock based on the Th V ion. Physical Review A, 112(2), 023103-1–023103-8. https://doi.org/10.1103/zcsk-3lw5
