Direct absorption measurement of the spin—orbit splitting of the ground state in atomic fluorine

We have measured the three hyperfine components of the spin—orbit split (²P_{$\text{3}\text{2}$} → ²P_{$\text{1}\text{2}$}) ground state in atomic fluorine by diode laser absorption spectroscopy. The measurement improves the accuracy of the two lines previously reported (404.175 and 403.969 cm^?1), with the third line at 404.210 cm^?1. This confirms the spacing of the hyperfine components measured by EPR, and establishes diode laser absorption as a viable technique for determining F-atom concentrations.