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arXiv · 2607.21245

Exploring $\alpha$- and $\beta$-decay-induced quenching of the $^{229}$Th nuclear-clock isomer in solid-state hosts

Y. Elskens·M. Athanasakis-Kaklamanakis·S. Arasada Pradeep·M. Au·S. Bara·M. Bartokos·K. Beeks·C. Bernerd·B. Biesmans·S. Casci·P. Chhetri·K. Chrysalidis·A. Claessens·T. E. Cocolios·J. G. Correia·A. R. G. Costa·H. De Witte·S. B. Diewald·Ch. E. Düllmann·R. Ferrer·R. Heinke·G. Holthoff·F. Ivandikov·Yu. Kudryavtsev·U. Köster·S. Kraemer·M. Laatiaoui·R. Lica·C. Merckling·J. Moens·I. Morawetz·D. Moritz·L. M. C. Pereira·S. V. Pineda·S. Raeder·S. Rothe·S. Sabrieva·M. Satrazani·F. Schaden·K. Scharl·T. Schumm·S. Stegemann·J. Stricker·T. Teschler·P. G. Thirolf·P. Van den Bergh·P. Van Duppen·A. Vantomme·R. Villarreal·L. von der Wense·U. Wahl·Y. Wang·M. Wiesinger·Z. Yue·F. Zacherl
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Abstract

The radiative decay dynamics of an ensemble of $^{229\mathrm{m}}$Th nuclei embedded in CaF$_2$ and MgF$_2$ is investigated. The isomer is populated through $\beta$ decay of $^{229}$Ac following ion implantation, and its radiative decay is detected using vacuum-ultraviolet spectroscopy and measured as a function of time. This allows to identify and quantify the quenching of the radiative-decay signal induced by $\alpha$ or $\beta$ radiation. The quenching probability density is determined in different CaF$_2$ crystals and in a MgF$_2$ crystal, revealing differences up to two orders of magnitude between the investigated samples and a strong dependence on the host material and defect densities. The results support a microscopic mechanism mediated by charge carriers in which electronic excitations created by the decay radiation are captured near Th defects, thereby favoring non-radiative decay channels.

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Y. Elskens, M. Athanasakis-Kaklamanakis, S. Arasada Pradeep, M. Au, S. Bara, M. Bartokos, K. Beeks, C. Bernerd, B. Biesmans, S. Casci, P. Chhetri, K. Chrysalidis, A. Claessens, T. E. Cocolios, J. G. Correia, A. R. G. Costa, H. De Witte, S. B. Diewald, Ch. E. Düllmann, R. Ferrer, R. Heinke, G. Holthoff, F. Ivandikov, Yu. Kudryavtsev, U. Köster, S. Kraemer, M. Laatiaoui, R. Lica, C. Merckling, J. Moens, I. Morawetz, D. Moritz, L. M. C. Pereira, S. V. Pineda, S. Raeder, S. Rothe, S. Sabrieva, M. Satrazani, F. Schaden, K. Scharl, T. Schumm, S. Stegemann, J. Stricker, T. Teschler, P. G. Thirolf, P. Van den Bergh, P. Van Duppen, A. Vantomme, R. Villarreal, L. von der Wense, U. Wahl, Y. Wang, M. Wiesinger, Z. Yue, F. Zacherl. 2026-07-23. Exploring $\alpha$- and $\beta$-decay-induced quenching of the $^{229}$Th nuclear-clock isomer in solid-state hosts. https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.21245

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