Light is made up of small packets of energy. Likewise, atoms are divided into energy bands. When light is shone on an atom it can energize subatomic particles, usually electrons. But now, researchers have managed to use lasers to energize atomic nuclei.
Scientists have already managed to energize electrons several times, causing them to switch to higher energy band quantum states. Being able to energize the atomic nucleus with a laser is something that researchers have been trying for decades, but until then, they had not been successful.
Now, researchers from Austria and Germany, in an investigation published in the journal Physical Review Lettersmanaged to energize the atomic nucleus of an isotope of thorium using a laser, causing it to jump from one quantum state to another.
Normally, atomic nuclei cannot be manipulated with lasers. The photon energy is simply not enough.
Thorsten Schumm, physicist, in a statement
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Atomic nucleus jumped from one quantum state to another
To make the atomic nucleus jump from one quantum state to another requires hundreds of times more energy than when electrons jump from one energy layer to another. However, the researchers weren’t sure how much energy the laser needed to release for this to happen.
- The atom chosen for the investigation was thorium-299, as it has two very close energy states;
- The amount of energy for change to happen has been trying to be measured since the 1970s;
- Over the decades, researchers have estimated their estimates from more than 100 to about 8 electron volts;
- In the research, scientists wanted to go beyond estimates and discover the exact energy required for the quantum state transition.
Based on analyzes using crystals with billions of thorium atoms, the researchers were able to define that the transition between the quantum states of the nucleus occurs with 8.355743 ± 0.000003 electron volts. With the discoveries, it is believed that thorium-299 atoms in crystals could be used to produce more stable, accurate and practical atomic clocks.
Our measurement method is just the beginning. We cannot yet predict what results we will achieve from this. It will certainly be very exciting.
Thorsten Schumm
