Observation of the distribution of nuclear magnetization in a molecule

TL;DR

This study combines laser spectroscopy and theoretical calculations to explore the nuclear magnetization distribution in radium monofluoride, revealing its potential for probing fundamental nuclear properties and electron-nucleus interactions.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of the nuclear magnetization distribution in a radium-containing molecule using combined experimental and theoretical methods.

Findings

Revealed the sensitivity of radium monofluoride to nuclear magnetization distribution

Provided constraints on the electron-nucleus interaction within the nucleus

Validated the electronic wavefunction models inside the nuclear volume

Abstract

Rapid progress in the experimental control and interrogation of molecules, combined with developments in precise calculations of their structure, are enabling new opportunities in the investigation of nuclear and particle physics phenomena. Molecules containing heavy, octupole-deformed nuclei such as radium are of particular interest for such studies, offering an enhanced sensitivity to the properties of fundamental particles and interactions. Here, we report precision laser spectroscopy measurements and theoretical calculations of the structure of the radioactive radium monofluoride molecule, $^{225}$Ra$^{19}$F. Our results allow fine details of the short-range electron-nucleus interaction to be revealed, indicating the high sensitivity of this molecule to the distribution of magnetization, currently a poorly constrained nuclear property, within the radium nucleus. These results provide a direct and stringent test of the description of the electronic wavefunction inside the nuclear volume, highlighting the suitability of these molecules to investigate subatomic phenomena.