Luminescence and structural properties of defects in ion implanted ZnO

ZnO substrates and films were intentionally implanted with rare earth and transition metal ions. The influence of the implantation and subsequent air thermal annealing treatments on the structural and optical properties of ZnO samples were studied by using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and low temperature photoluminescence techniques. Intraionic Tm-related emission was observed for bulk and ZnO films. Similarly, Eu and Tb-doped ZnO films follow the same trend observed in bulk samples. No intraionic related emission was observed for Eu-doped samples even being the ion in Zn sites and for the Tb-doped samples ion segregation was observed for thermal annealing temperatures above 800 °…

Study of the radiative decay of the low-energy isomer in ${}^{229}$Th

Alternative approach to populate and study the $^{229}Th$ nuclear clock isomer

A new approach to observe the radiative decay of the $^{229}$Th nuclear isomer, and to determine its energy and radiative lifetime, is presented. Situated at a uniquely low excitation energy, this nuclear state might be a key ingredient for the development of a nuclear clock, a nuclear laser and the search for time variations of the fundamental constants. The isomer's $\gamma$ decay towards the ground state will be studied with a high-resolution VUV spectrometer after its production by the $\beta$ decay of $^{229}$Ac. The novel production method presents a number of advantages asserting its competitive nature with respect to the commonly used $^{233}$U $\alpha$-decay recoil source. In this …