Nuclear excitation by electron capture(NEEC)is a fundamental process in nuclear physics.Despite its theoretical framework established nearly half a century ago,the experimental confirmation of NEEC remains elusive bec...Nuclear excitation by electron capture(NEEC)is a fundamental process in nuclear physics.Despite its theoretical framework established nearly half a century ago,the experimental confirmation of NEEC remains elusive because of significant technical challenges.A notable effort to validate NEEC experimentally involved the enhanced ^(93m)Mo isomer-depletion experiment,which was ultimately hindered by substantial noise interference.This mini-review provides a brief historical overview of NEEC studies and explores the role of NEEC processes in astrophysical environments and laser-induced plasmas.Several platforms have been proposed to facilitate the observation of NEEC,including traditional cooling-storage rings,ion accelerators,and electron beam ion traps.These approaches aim to enhance the nuclear excitation rate,thereby improving the signal-to-noise ratio.In addition,the employment of exotic vortex beams is discussed as a potential methodological approach to address these challenges.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2023YFA1606900)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(No.12235003&12447106).
文摘Nuclear excitation by electron capture(NEEC)is a fundamental process in nuclear physics.Despite its theoretical framework established nearly half a century ago,the experimental confirmation of NEEC remains elusive because of significant technical challenges.A notable effort to validate NEEC experimentally involved the enhanced ^(93m)Mo isomer-depletion experiment,which was ultimately hindered by substantial noise interference.This mini-review provides a brief historical overview of NEEC studies and explores the role of NEEC processes in astrophysical environments and laser-induced plasmas.Several platforms have been proposed to facilitate the observation of NEEC,including traditional cooling-storage rings,ion accelerators,and electron beam ion traps.These approaches aim to enhance the nuclear excitation rate,thereby improving the signal-to-noise ratio.In addition,the employment of exotic vortex beams is discussed as a potential methodological approach to address these challenges.
