Isomeric excitation of ^{229}\mathrm{Th} via scanning tunneling microscope

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel STM-based method to excite and detect the isomeric state of thorium-229 at the single-nucleus level, enabling new experimental possibilities in quantum physics and metrology.

Contribution

It introduces a tabletop STM technique for inducing and controlling isomeric excitation of 229Th nuclei, surpassing existing methods in efficiency and precision.

Findings

Proposed a feasible STM-based excitation method for 229Th

Achieved higher excitation rates compared to traditional approaches

Enabled potential detection of single-nucleus decay events

Abstract

The low energy of the isomeric state of the radionuclide thorium-229 (229Th) makes it highly promising for applications in fundamental physics, precision metrology, and quantum technologies. However, directly accessing the isomeric state from its ground state remains a challenge. We propose here a tabletop approach utilizing the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) technique to induce excitation of a single 229Th nucleus. With achievable parameters, the isomeric excitation rate is advantageous over existing methods, allowing the excitation and control of 229Th on the single-nucleus level. It offers the unique potential of exciting and detecting subsequent decay from a single nucleus, providing a new direction for future experimental investigation of the 229Th isomeric state.