Enhanced effect of temporal variation of the fine structure constant and strong interaction in 229Th

Abstract

The relative effects of variation of the fine structure constant alpha=e^2/hc and dimensionless strong interaction parameter m_q/Lambda_{QCD} are enhanced 5-6 orders of magnitude in very narrow ultraviolet transition between the ground and first excited state in 229Th nucleus (energy (3.5 +/- 1) eV). Corresponding experiment has potential of improving sensitivity to the variation of the fundamental constants by 7-10 orders of magnitude (up to 10^{-23} per year).

3 pages, reference [13] added to v2

Cited by in corpus (7)

• Direct detection of the 229Th nuclear clock transition
• X-ray pumping of the Th-229 nuclear clock isomer
• Nuclear excitation of the ${}^{229}$Th isomer via defect states in doped crystals
• New bounds on macroscopic scalar-field topological defects from non-transient signatures due to environmental dependence and spatial variations of the fundamental constants
• Towards a direct transition energy measurement of the lowest nuclear excitation in 229Th
• The concept of laser-based conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy for a precise energy determination of ${}^{229m}$Th
• Engineering the sensitivity of macroscopic physical systems to variations in the fine-structure constant