Colloquium: Nuclear clocks

The Th-229 nuclear isomeric state has the lowest energy of all known nuclear excited states, placing it within the reach of current table-top laser technology. This extraordinary property has made this nuclear isomer an attractive candidate for a nuclear optical clock of incredibly high precision and accuracy, both as isolated trapped Th-229 ions and embedded into solid-state platforms. Activity around Th-229 has surged in recent years, driven by breakthroughs in its direct laser excitation. The underlying nuclear physics that gives rise to this unique isomer will be elucidated, as well as the nearly half-century of efforts that led to its direct excitation. The design and systematics of a Th-229 nuclear clock will be discussed, both in ion traps and in the solid-state. These systematics, such as frequency shifts and quenching channels, can be leveraged both to probe the local chemical environment, and as a control knob during clock operation. Finally, the nuclear clock's high sensitivity to the variations of fundamental constants will be discussed.