On the possible analysis of the sub-Doppler spectrum structure of atoms in a gas using the anisotropy of photoion flows

We propose the new highly sensitive method of sub-Doppler laser spectroscopy based on the selective record of anisotropic flows of ions, which are formed as a consequence of the photoionization of atoms (molecules) of a rarefied gas in a cell after their resonance excitation by running monochromatic radiation. This method of photoionization spectroscopy may be used for the receipt of spectroscopic data on atoms (molecules), for the detection of individual atoms, and for isotope (isomer) separation in a gas cell.     

Alternate technique for simultaneous measurement of photoionization cross-section of isotopes by TOF mass spectrometer

New measurements of photoionization cross-sections of the lithium isotopes are reported employing a Time of Flight (TOF) mass spectrometer in conjunction with an atomic beam apparatus. Using a two-step selective photoionization and saturation technique, we have simultaneously measured the photoionization cross-section of the 2p excited state of both the isotopes Li⁶ and Li⁷ as 15±2.5 Mb and 18 ±2.5 Mb where as the corresponding number densities have been determined as N₀≈5.3×10¹⁰ atoms/cm³ and N₀≈6.2×10¹¹ atoms/cm³ respectively.     

A laser photoionization method for the study of the CdS evaporation kinetics

The evaporation rates and saturation vapor pressures of cadmium sulfide and pure metallic cadmium are measured in the temperature ranges 585–950 K and 350–535 K, respectively, using laser resonance multistep photoionization. It is shown that CdS thermally dissociates into Cd atoms and S₂ molecules. The study is carried out in the framework of a scheme proposed earlier for photoionization of cadmium atoms. The measured minimum vapor pressure of pure cadmium is 10^?11 Torr.     

Possibility of the optical separation of the isomeric nuclei by laser radiation

The possibility of using laser radiation for fast optical separation of isomeric nuclei is considered. The proposed method of separation is based on selective two-step photoionization of atoms or photodissociation of molecules.     

Laser spectroscopy of the rydberg states of atoms group IIB (Zn, Cd, Hg)

An investigation has been made of the³P_0,1,2-series of Zn (n=17–60), Cd (17–50), and Hg (18–60) atoms by the method of laser three-step photoionization. The energy (E_n) values and quantum defects (Δ) of these states are determined. The ionization potentials of the atoms are refined by matching the convergence of the Rydberg series. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 67, No. 2, pp. 249–250, March–April, 2000.     

Measurement of Photoionization Cross Sections of the Excited States of Titanium

实验研究了钛原子在293～321 nm波段的共振增强多光子电离. 采用激光烧蚀和超声射流相结合的实验技术来制备自由原子,由飞行时间质谱仪实现对钛原子光电离产物的检测. 从离子信号强度对和激光强度的依赖关系导出了钛原子价电子激发态的光电离截面. 实验测量的一些激发态光电离截面在0.2～6.0 Mb. 通过对⁴⁶Ti、⁴⁷Ti、⁴⁸Ti的光电离截面测量研究,没有发现明显的同位素依赖性.     

Laser control of the capture of chromophore molecules by nanoclusters of noble gases in crossed molecular and cluster beams

The infrared-laser-radiation-controlled capture of chromophore molecules (on an example of SF₆) by cold nanoclusters of noble gases (Xe _N , N ≥ 100–1000 is the number of atoms in a cluster) in the crossed molecular and cluster beams has been investigated by a new method based on the selective vibrational excitation of molecules by an intense infrared laser pulse before their capture by clusters, which leads to a significant increase in the probability of their desorption from the surface of clusters as compared to the unexcited molecules. The possibility of using the proposed method for the selective doping of clusters with molecules, laser separation of isotopes, and selective transport of molecules to the surface has been discussed.     

The role of Jahn–Teller ions in the creation of domain structures in lithium niobate

Using tightly focused laser beams, features of space charge fields (～107 V/m) are studied through the photoionization of doped Jahn–Teller Fe²⁺ ions in LiNbO₃ single crystals. These fields can be used for selective formation of the inverse domain state following the additional application of a field with a strength below the coercive field. The characteristics of laser-induced domains and periodic domain structures are studied by laser-acoustic means.     

Trace detection of plutonium by three-step photoionization with a laser system pumped by a copper vapor laser

Laser photoionization has been used to detect trace amounts of plutonium. A high sensitivity and selectivity has been achieved by applying three-step excitation and ionization of the plutonium atoms with high pulse-repetition rates and additional mass determination by time-of-flight measurements. A laser system was developed which consists of a copper vapor laser pumping three dye lasers simultaneously. Samples containing between 10¹⁰ and 10¹² atoms of²³⁹Pu on Re filaments were measured yielding strong resonance signals with maximum ion count rates of several kHz at a vanishingly low background. A detection efficiency of 10^–7 was determined allowing the detection of about 10⁸ plutonium atoms in a sample.This work comprises part of the doctoral dissertation of W. Ruster, to be submitted to Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz     

吸收谱线Doppler展宽对原子多步光电离的影响

原子法激光同位素分离的核心之一是如何高效地将原子激发电离.本文从原子法激光同位素分离的实际情况出发,研究了原子吸收谱线的Doppler展宽对原子电离率的影响.研究中使用的理论工具是原子激发电离的密度矩阵方程,并利用数值计算方法对方程进行求解.研究结果表明:当吸收谱线有Doppler展宽时,在激光参数不变的条件下原子电离率会降低;且当激光功率固定时,存在使原子电离率为最大的线宽值.这与已发表文献中无Doppler展宽时的计算结果有很大不同.为了追求最佳的原子电离效果,在原子法激光同位素分离系统中激光应该尽可能地工作在最佳线宽条件下.如果激光线宽有不可控的随机波动,在技术上让激光线宽略大于最佳线宽更为有利.无论如何控制激光线宽,尽可能地降低原子吸收谱线的Doppler展宽都有利于原子电离率的提高.     

钴、钛原子激发态光电离研究

本文报道紫外区钛和钴原子共振增强多光子电离(REMPI)谱和激发态绝对光电离截面。实验上通过激光烧蚀金属样品制备中性原子,由飞行时间质谱仪检测离子产物,在298-351nm范围扫描激光波长,得到钛原子和钴原子共振增强多光子电离谱;并根据共振离子信号强度与电离激光通量关系得到原子激发态的绝对光电离截面,这些激发态电离截面的实验值在0.5-4 Mb。     

Measuring photoionization cross-sections of excited atomic states

A new method of photoionization cross-section measurement based on the observation of saturation in the ion yield as a function of radiation intensity has been proposed. The photoionization cross-sections for the 6²P_1/2 and 6²P_3/2 levels of Rb atoms of the fundamental and second harmonics of ruby laser radiation are measured, with a tunable pulsed dye laser used for excitation. The following values of cross-sections are obtained: (1.7±0.4)·10⁻¹⁷ cm² and (1.5±0.4)·10⁻¹⁷ cm² for the levels 6²P_3/2 and 6²P_1/2, respectively, ionized by radiation of v₂=14403 cm⁻¹, and (1.9±0.5)·10⁻¹⁷ cm² for the 6²P_3/2 level ionized by v₂=28806 cm⁻¹ radiation.     

钴、钛原子激发态光电离研究

本文报道紫外区钛和钴原子共振增强多光子电离(REMPI)谱和激发态绝对光电离截面。实验上通过激光烧蚀金属样品制备中性原子,由飞行时间质谱仪检测离子产物,在298-351nm范围扫描激光波长,得到钛原子和钴原子共振增强多光子电离谱;并根据共振离子信号强度与电离激光通量关系得到原子激发态的绝对光电离截面,这些激发态电离截面的实验值在0.5-4 Mb。     

Intensity-dependent asymmetric photoionization in few-cycle laser pulses

The asymmetric photoionization of atoms irradiated by intense, few-cycle laser pulses is studied numerically. The results show that the pulse intensity affects the asymmetric photoionization in three aspects. First, at higher intensities, the asymmetry becomes distinctive for few-cycle pulses of longer durations. Second, as the laser intensity increases, the maximal asymmetry first decreases then increases after it has reached a minimal value. Last, the value of the carrier-envelope phase corresponding to the maximal asymmetry varies with the pulse intensity. This study reveals that the increasing of pulse intensity is helpful for observing the asymmetric photoionization.     

Isotope selective photoionization of calcium using two-step laser excitation

The isotope specific two-step photoionization of metastable Ca atoms was investigated using a continuous wave dye laser and an Ar⁺ laser. The photoionization was performed via a transition to an autoionizing state. Therefore an ionization probability as high as 10⁻² could be obtained.     

Velocity selective optical pumping and repumping effects with counter and copropagating laser radiations for D<Subscript>2</Subscript> lines of rubidium

The effects of a strong control or pump laser, counter propagating or copropagating with the probe beam, on the probe absorption spectra of ⁸⁵Rb and ⁸⁷Rb-D₂ transitions have been investigated inside a room temperature Rb vapour cell. In both cases a set of strong velocity selective resonance dips are observed at different velocities. Their movements across the Doppler broadened probe absorption profile have been studied for different lock frequencies of the control laser. These spectra are modified by optical pumping effects due to the presence of another hyperfine component of the ground state. A repumping laser, from the dark hyperfine component of the ground level transfers almost 75% of the atoms from the dark state to the pump probe cycle hence reducing the optical pumping effect. A numerical simulation is done to explain the observed spectra. The effect of a control laser on the Lamb dip spectrum of the probe laser has also been investigated. The control beam is used to improve the strength of a weak hyperfine dip on the Doppler broadened probe spectrum. The strength of the hyperfine dip increases by a factor of 3.2 in presence of the control laser. The observed dips show that pump-probe spectroscopy can be used as velocity selectors of atoms.     

Photoionization mass-spectrometry of benzene and benzaldehyde molecules with an excimer KrF laser

A laser photoionization time-of-flight mass-spectrometer has been developed and used to investigate the photoionization and photofragmentation of benzene and benzaldehyde molecules by an excimer KrF laser radiation at the wavelength of 249 nm in the intensity range from 5·10⁴ to 5·10⁹ W/cm². It has been found that at low laser intensity ions formed by two-step photoionization are most abundant in mass spectra. By increasing laser intensity an extensive fragmentation of molecules, up to C⁺ ions, was observed. The maximum ionization yield of benzaldehyde comes to 0.1% of the number of molecules in the photoionization volume and, according to calculations, to 10% for benzene molecules, when the radiation intensity is 5·10⁹ W/cm².     

Thermal photoionization in resonance ionization spectroscopy

In Resonance Ionization Spectroscopy, neutral atoms are usually produced by thermal effects, using an oven or a hot surface at high temperature. The radiation from these thermal sources is intense enough to effectively contribute to the photoionization of atoms excited by laser pumping. We show that, for the most common experimental conditions, the ratio of thermal to laser photoionization can be higher than one for excited levels which lie as far as a few thousand cm^–1 below the ionization threshold. This result is obtained with the use of the analytic expression for the photoionization cross-section of a hydrogen-like atom. We suggest two applications of this thermal photoionization. Namely, the study of highly excited states and Quasi Resonance Ionization Spectrometry, using only one laser of low radiance.Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, Centre d'Etudes Nucléaires de Fontenay-aux-Roses DERDCA/DCAEA/SEA, BP no 6, F-92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France (Visiting scientist at Ecole Polytechnique from Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique)Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, Centre d'Etudes Nucléaires de Saclay, IRF/DPHG/PAS. Bât 462, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France     

Photoionization cross-section measurements from the 2p, 3d and 3s excited states of lithium

The photoionization cross-sections from the 2p²P_{1/2, 3/2}, 3d²D_{3/2, 5/2} and 3s²S_1/2 excited states of lithium have been measured at different ionizing laser wavelengths, above the first ionization threshold. The experiments are performed by using a thermionic diode working in the space charge limited mode and the cross-sections are measured by employing the saturation technique. By changing the ionization photon energy, a smooth frequency dependence of the cross-sections has been observed for the 2p and 3d states. The cross-section from the 3s excited state has been measured at a single photon energy. The measured values of the photoionization cross are compared with the available data.     

Laser resonant ionization of plutonium

Resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS) has been tested for the isotope-selective determination of trace amounts of plutonium. An atomic beam is formed by evaporating plutonium atoms from a rhenium-filament heated to 1800 °C. The radiation of a pulsed dye laser excites the atoms in a two-photon process (=595.2 nm) followed by photoionization of the excited atoms. Mass selectivity is obtained by use of a time-of-flight spectrometer. A resonant signal of²³⁹Pu was measured with 10¹³ atoms deposited on the filament.