Tunable VUV frequency comb for 229mTh nuclear spectroscopy

Opt Lett. 2022 Nov 1;47(21):5591-5594. doi: 10.1364/OL.473006.

Abstract

Laser spectroscopy of the 229mTh nuclear clock transition is necessary for the future construction of a nuclear-based optical clock. Precision laser sources with broad spectral coverage in the vacuum ultraviolet are needed for this task. Here, we present a tunable vacuum-ultraviolet frequency comb based on cavity-enhanced seventh-harmonic generation. Its tunable spectrum covers the current uncertainty range of the 229mTh nuclear clock transition.