Energy of the 229Th Nuclear Clock Isomer Determined by Absolute γ-ray Energy Difference.

The low-lying isomeric state of 229Th provides unique opportunities for high-resolution laser spectroscopy of the atomic nucleus. We determine the energy of this isomeric state by taking the absolute energy difference between the excitation energy required to populate the 29.2-keV state from the ground state and the energy emitted in its decay to the isomeric excited state. A transition-edge sensor microcalorimeter was used to measure the absolute energy of the 29.2-keV γ ray. Together with the cross-band transition energy (29.2  keV→ground) and the branching ratio of the 29.2-keV state measured in a recent study, the isomer energy was determined to be 8.30±0.92  eV. Our result is in agreement with the latest measurements based on different experimental techniques, which further confirms that the isomeric state of 229Th is in the laser-accessible vacuum ultraviolet range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]