Our goal is to directly observe the low-energy thorium-229 nuclear excited state and, for the first time, control this nuclear transition with optical methods. Such optical manipulation of the nucleus could lead to unprecedented studies of the interplay between atomic and nuclear systems, provide a new frequency/time standard, and could be used as a qubit for quantum computing.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory • 7000 East Avenue • Livermore, CA 94550
Operated by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.