The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $695,745 Project Grant to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (CFDA 47.049) federal grant program. This award supports the development and exploration of the low-lying nuclear isomeric transition in the Thorium-229 isotope, which is expected to enable the construction of a nuclear optical clock with enhanced performance compared to current atomic clocks. The key objectives are to refine the measurement of this nuclear transition, study the effects of the crystalline environment, and prepare for a measurement of the variability of fundamental physical constants. The researchers will also explore alternative crystal hosts and improved laser systems to control this transition, with the overarching goal of achieving full quantum control of a nucleus. In addition, the grant will fund the training of high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, as well as a postdoctoral researcher, in these state-of-the-art techniques and modern nuclear physics. The award period runs from September 2024 through August 2027.
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