Efficient production of $^{229m,g}$Th via neutron capture in VUV-transparent crystals

Abstract

The low-lying isomeric state of $^{229m}$Th, owing to its unique nuclear energy structure, has been widely regarded as one of the most promising candidates for the development of a nuclear clock. However, the limited availability of suitable $^{229}$Th sources with sufficiently high activity remains a major challenge for experimental investigations of the $^{229m}$Th isomer. We propose a neutron-capture-based approach for the in-situ production of $^{229m,g}$Th by doping $^{228}$Ra into crystal hosts, where $^{229m,g}$Th is generated through neutron-capture reactions followed by a sequence of radioactive decay processes. We systematically investigate the background contributions associated with the three doped crystal hosts, namely CaF$_2$, SrF$_2$, and LiF, and evaluate their impact on the detection and identification of $^{229m}$Th. Under a neutron flux of $10^{15}\ \mathrm{n/cm^{2}/s}$ and a $^{228}$Ra doping concentration of $10^{19}\ \mathrm{cm^{-3}}$, the proposed method is capable of producing on the order of $10^{12}$ $^{229}$Th and $^{229m}$Th nuclei within only 1 s of irradiation, with a signal-to-noise ratios as high as $10^5$. In addition, the influences of detector wavelength resolution and post-irradiation measurement time on the detectability of the $^{229m}$Th signal are systematically analyzed, and the corresponding optimal measurement conditions are identified. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of neutron-produced $^{229}$Th within the crystal is investigated, providing practical guidance for optimizing crystal geometry and illumination configuration in future continuous-wave VUV absorption spectroscopy experiments. These results suggest that the proposed scheme provides a promising alternative pathway for the production and detection of $^{229\mathrm{m,g}}$Th, which may facilitate future studies toward the realization of nuclear-clock-based technologies.