https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2017-12294-5
Regular Article - Experimental Physics
Feasibility study of internal conversion electron spectroscopy of 229mTh
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Am Coulombwall 1, Garching, Germany
* e-mail: benedict.seiferle@physik.uni-muenchen.de
Received:
1
February
2017
Accepted:
24
April
2017
Published online:
25
May
2017
With an expected energy of 7.8(5) eV, the isomeric first excited state in 229Th exhibits the lowest excitation energy of all known nuclei. Until today, a value for the excitation energy has been inferred only by indirect measurements. In this paper we propose an experimental method that is potentially capable of measuring the ground-state transition energy via the detection of the internal conversion electrons. MatLab-based Monte Carlo simulations have been performed to obtain an estimate of the expected statistics and to test the feasibility and the expected precision of the experiment. From the simulations we conclude that with the presented methods an energy determination with a precision of better than 0.1 eV is within reach.
© The Author(s), 2017
