The isomeric transition of thorium-229(^(229)Th),as the only known laser-accessible nuclear transition,offers the possibility for the development of a new generation of optical clocks.Solid-state nuclear optical clock...The isomeric transition of thorium-229(^(229)Th),as the only known laser-accessible nuclear transition,offers the possibility for the development of a new generation of optical clocks.Solid-state nuclear optical clock based on^(229)Th-doped crystals or thin films has attracted much attention due to its potential advantages in high stability,miniaturization,and robustness.This paper reviews the research progress of solid-state nuclear optical clock materials,analyzes the preparation,defects,and properties of the candidate solid material systems for^(229)Th,explores the influence of the local crystal environment on the nuclear transition,focuses on introducing the latest research results of crystal materials such as Th-doped CaF_(2)and LiSrAlF_(6),and looks forward to the future development direction of this field.It could provide a reference for the material selection and optimization of solid-state nuclear optical clocks.展开更多
We report the SrII optical lattice clock at the National Time Service Center(NTSC).In this system,a blackbody radiation shield with movable lattice mitigates blackbody radiation shifts through active temperature contr...We report the SrII optical lattice clock at the National Time Service Center(NTSC).In this system,a blackbody radiation shield with movable lattice mitigates blackbody radiation shifts through active temperature control.A shallow optical lattice with minimal tunneling minimizes AC Stark shifts.Phase-locked counter-propagating lattice beams and conductive vacuum viewports further reduce systematic uncertainties and a novel initial-state preparation method simplifies the system.Clock transition spectra achieve a linewidth of 2.5 Hz with a 400 ms clock pulse,and self-comparison stability reaches 5.1×10^(-16)at 1 s.These advancements give this clock the potential to be a critical platform for realizing outstanding systematic uncertainties in the future.展开更多
Recent advances in atomic optical clocks based on electronic transitions have achieved frequency uncertainties at the10^(-19)level,enabling wide applications in testing variations of physical constants,exploring dark ...Recent advances in atomic optical clocks based on electronic transitions have achieved frequency uncertainties at the10^(-19)level,enabling wide applications in testing variations of physical constants,exploring dark matter signatures,and enhancing precision metrology for position,navigation,and timing systems.To pursue higher-precision optical clocks,the development of nuclear optical clocks has emerged,with the^(229)Th system distinguished by its unique low-lying isomeric state at~8.4 eV and a natural linewidth of approximately 100μHz,promising uncertainties below 10^(-19).The intrinsic insensitivity of nuclear transitions to external perturbations and their subatomic-scale spatial confinement provide significant advantages over electronic transitions in mitigating environmental shifts.Recent experimental breakthroughs include the excitation of the nuclear clock transition in solid-state^(229)Th-doped crystals with spectral resolution at the k Hz level.However,critical challenges persist,particularly in implementing effective laser excitation schemes(e.g.,via the electronic bridge mechanism)and closed-loop quantum control in trapped ion systems.Addressing these requires comprehensive understanding of complex many-body interactions in^(229)Th,encompassing electronic structure,nuclear deformation,hyperfine and field shift,and solid-state environmental coupling.This review synthesizes recent advancements in(i)the characterization of nuclear and atomic structures of the^(229)Th nuclear clock,and(ii)precise evaluation and mitigation of external perturbations affecting the clock transitions.The analysis provides a solid theoretical and experimental foundation for optimizing^(229)Th-based nuclear clock performance.展开更多
In a series of three papers published in 2024[1-3],physicists in Austria,Germany,and the United States reported the first direct observations with table-top lasers of a new nuclear process,in which the nucleus of a th...In a series of three papers published in 2024[1-3],physicists in Austria,Germany,and the United States reported the first direct observations with table-top lasers of a new nuclear process,in which the nucleus of a thorium atom absorbs a photon and goes into an excited state,then re-emits the photon and returns to its ground state.This“thorescence”phenomenon“is exactly the same process as fluorescence,but it takes place inside the nucleus,”said Ekkehard Peik,professor and head of the department of time and frequency at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt(the German national metrology institute)in Braunschweig,Germany.展开更多
Optical clocks with thermal atoms are characterized by compact size,simple structure,reduced weight,and low power consumption and have the potential for broad out-of-the-lab and commercial applications.Here,we demonst...Optical clocks with thermal atoms are characterized by compact size,simple structure,reduced weight,and low power consumption and have the potential for broad out-of-the-lab and commercial applications.Here,we demonstrate a 459 nm optical clock based on the 6S_(1/2)-7P_(1/2)transition in thermal^(133)Cs atoms.Two methods,modulation transfer spectroscopy(MTS)and frequency modulation spectroscopy(FMS),are employed to stabilize the frequency of a 459 nm commercial laser to the atomic transition.The MTS-MTS and MTS-FMS beat-note measurements show short-term frequency stabilities of 3.7×10^(-13)/√t and 6.4×10^(-13)/√t,respectively,at the averaging time t.The 459 nm passive optical clock further serves as the pump for an active 1470 nm optical clock based on the cavityless lasing.The resultant 1470 nm output power reaches over 10μW and the pump-beam-induced light shift is estimated to be 2π×11 Hz with a fractional uncertainty of 2.4×10^(-18).These results demonstrate the feasibility of hybridizing passive and active optical clocks,providing a promising route toward compact multi-wavelength optical frequency standards.展开更多
基金supported by Zhangjiang Laboratory(Grant No.ZJSP21A001D)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB0920000)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.12341402 and 12341403)。
文摘The isomeric transition of thorium-229(^(229)Th),as the only known laser-accessible nuclear transition,offers the possibility for the development of a new generation of optical clocks.Solid-state nuclear optical clock based on^(229)Th-doped crystals or thin films has attracted much attention due to its potential advantages in high stability,miniaturization,and robustness.This paper reviews the research progress of solid-state nuclear optical clock materials,analyzes the preparation,defects,and properties of the candidate solid material systems for^(229)Th,explores the influence of the local crystal environment on the nuclear transition,focuses on introducing the latest research results of crystal materials such as Th-doped CaF_(2)and LiSrAlF_(6),and looks forward to the future development direction of this field.It could provide a reference for the material selection and optimization of solid-state nuclear optical clocks.
基金supported by the Innovation Pro-gram for Quantum Science and Technology(Grant Nos.2021ZD0300900 and 2021ZD0300902)the Strate-gic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB35010202)the Operation and Maintenance of Major Scientific and Technological In-frastructure of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.2024000014).
文摘We report the SrII optical lattice clock at the National Time Service Center(NTSC).In this system,a blackbody radiation shield with movable lattice mitigates blackbody radiation shifts through active temperature control.A shallow optical lattice with minimal tunneling minimizes AC Stark shifts.Phase-locked counter-propagating lattice beams and conductive vacuum viewports further reduce systematic uncertainties and a novel initial-state preparation method simplifies the system.Clock transition spectra achieve a linewidth of 2.5 Hz with a 400 ms clock pulse,and self-comparison stability reaches 5.1×10^(-16)at 1 s.These advancements give this clock the potential to be a critical platform for realizing outstanding systematic uncertainties in the future.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant Nos.XDB0920100 and XDB0920101)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.12174402,12393821,12274417)the Chinese Academy of Sciences Project for Young Scientists in Basic Research(Grant No.YSBR-055)。
文摘Recent advances in atomic optical clocks based on electronic transitions have achieved frequency uncertainties at the10^(-19)level,enabling wide applications in testing variations of physical constants,exploring dark matter signatures,and enhancing precision metrology for position,navigation,and timing systems.To pursue higher-precision optical clocks,the development of nuclear optical clocks has emerged,with the^(229)Th system distinguished by its unique low-lying isomeric state at~8.4 eV and a natural linewidth of approximately 100μHz,promising uncertainties below 10^(-19).The intrinsic insensitivity of nuclear transitions to external perturbations and their subatomic-scale spatial confinement provide significant advantages over electronic transitions in mitigating environmental shifts.Recent experimental breakthroughs include the excitation of the nuclear clock transition in solid-state^(229)Th-doped crystals with spectral resolution at the k Hz level.However,critical challenges persist,particularly in implementing effective laser excitation schemes(e.g.,via the electronic bridge mechanism)and closed-loop quantum control in trapped ion systems.Addressing these requires comprehensive understanding of complex many-body interactions in^(229)Th,encompassing electronic structure,nuclear deformation,hyperfine and field shift,and solid-state environmental coupling.This review synthesizes recent advancements in(i)the characterization of nuclear and atomic structures of the^(229)Th nuclear clock,and(ii)precise evaluation and mitigation of external perturbations affecting the clock transitions.The analysis provides a solid theoretical and experimental foundation for optimizing^(229)Th-based nuclear clock performance.
文摘In a series of three papers published in 2024[1-3],physicists in Austria,Germany,and the United States reported the first direct observations with table-top lasers of a new nuclear process,in which the nucleus of a thorium atom absorbs a photon and goes into an excited state,then re-emits the photon and returns to its ground state.This“thorescence”phenomenon“is exactly the same process as fluorescence,but it takes place inside the nucleus,”said Ekkehard Peik,professor and head of the department of time and frequency at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt(the German national metrology institute)in Braunschweig,Germany.
基金provided by CAS Project for Young Scientists in Basic Research(Grant No.YSBR-085)National Time Service Center(Grant No.E239SC1101)+1 种基金the funding of Wenzhou Major Science&Technology Innovation Key Project(Grant No.ZG2023021)supported by Innovation Program for Quantum Science and Technology(Grant No.2021ZD0303200).
文摘Optical clocks with thermal atoms are characterized by compact size,simple structure,reduced weight,and low power consumption and have the potential for broad out-of-the-lab and commercial applications.Here,we demonstrate a 459 nm optical clock based on the 6S_(1/2)-7P_(1/2)transition in thermal^(133)Cs atoms.Two methods,modulation transfer spectroscopy(MTS)and frequency modulation spectroscopy(FMS),are employed to stabilize the frequency of a 459 nm commercial laser to the atomic transition.The MTS-MTS and MTS-FMS beat-note measurements show short-term frequency stabilities of 3.7×10^(-13)/√t and 6.4×10^(-13)/√t,respectively,at the averaging time t.The 459 nm passive optical clock further serves as the pump for an active 1470 nm optical clock based on the cavityless lasing.The resultant 1470 nm output power reaches over 10μW and the pump-beam-induced light shift is estimated to be 2π×11 Hz with a fractional uncertainty of 2.4×10^(-18).These results demonstrate the feasibility of hybridizing passive and active optical clocks,providing a promising route toward compact multi-wavelength optical frequency standards.
