Impact broadening and shifts for 6sns 1S0 and 6snd 1D2 series of barium

Impact broadening and shifts of Ba transitions to parity forbidden Rydberg states have been measured using two-photon laser spectroscopy techniques. Broadening and shift rates for the 6sns ¹S₀ (10 < n < 19) and 6snd ¹D₂ (8 < n < 26) levels due to thermal collisional interactions with Xe, Kr and Ar as perturber gases are plotted. Perturbations due to configuration interactions are discussed.     

Influence of ultrashort laser pulse duration on the X-ray emission spectrum of plasma produced in cluster target

Line emission spectrum of a laser plasma produced in an argon cluster jet target was measured on the n ¹ P1?1¹ S ₀ (n=5–9) transitions of the helium-like Ar XVII ion for a pulse duration varying from 45 fs to 1.1 ps and a constant fluence of ～10⁵ J/cm². The independent modeling of the relative intensities of the transitions from the n=5,..., 10 levels, as well as of the 2¹ P ₁? 1² S ₀ and 2³ P ₁?1² S ₀ lines and dielectronic satellites indicates that the electron temperature is anomalously low and that the electron density in emitting plasma increases with shortening the laser pulse. The excitation from the ground state by a small fraction of hot electrons is expected to be the main channel of populating the Ar XVII levels.     

55Mn(n,n'γ) cross-section studies for En = 1.0–3.6 MeV

Absolute ⁵⁵Mn(n, n′γ) γ-ray production cross sections have been measured for 19 transitions from levels up to and including the 2429 keV state in ⁵⁵Mn over the energy range E_n = 1.0–3.6 MeV. Angular distributions were also measured for 6 of the transitions. Branching ratios were extracted and total inelastic neutron cross sections were inferred for these ⁵⁵Mn excited states. The measured and inferred cross sections are compared with calculated cross sections using the statistical compound nucleus theory.     

Multiphoton ionization spectra in lithium vapour

The two-photon absorption spectrum to high-lying states of Li vapour has been obtained using ion-cell detection. ²S states are observed to n = 32 and the ²D series to n = 49. Simple heating techniques circumvented the problem of absorption by the blue-green band system of Li₂ which overlaps the series limit at 4600 Å. The order of the ionization process was examined and found to vary as the square of the laser intensity for two-photon transitions. A conflict with data obtained with a space-charge-limited diode is examined and possible ionization mechanisms are discussed.     

A study of low-lying states of 76As using the 75As(d,p) reaction

The ⁷⁵As(d, p)⁷⁶As reaction was investigated with 11 MeV deuterons. Thirty levels of the residual nucleus were identified up to about 1.8 MeV excitation energy, and angular distributions were measured. Spectroscopic factors and l_n values were obtained for low-lying transitions by means of a distorted-wave analysis of the differential cross sections. The l_n = 4 transition to the ground state of ⁷⁶As and the presence of l_n = 2 transitions to low-lying levels provide a strong support to the assumption that nuclei in this mass region have a large deformation parameter. The results are compared with the ⁷⁵As(n, γ)⁷⁶As data.     

Photoionization cross sections and oscillator strengths of neutral cesium

The absolute photoionization cross sections from the 6p ²P_1/2 excited state of cesium at threshold and above the threshold region have been measured using the saturation absorption technique. The photoionization cross section at the ionization threshold is determined as 22.6±3.6 Mb, whereas in the region above threshold its value ranges from 22 to 20 Mb for photoelectron energies up to 0.1 eV. A comparison of the photoionization cross sections with earlier reported theoretical and experimental data have been presented and are in good agreement within the uncertainty. In addition, the oscillator strengths of the 6p ²P_1/2→n d ²D_3/2 (21≤n≤60) Rydberg transitions of cesium have been calibrated using the threshold value of the photoionization cross section. A complete picture of the oscillator strengths from the present work and previously reported data from n=5–60 is presented.     

Quantum interference effects in field ionization: Application to the measurement of the fine structure splitting of highly excited Na2 D states

Quantum beats between the fine structure levels of highly excitedn ² D levels of sodium atoms have been measured by investigating the field electrons. The states were populated by stepwise excitation with two dye lasers and an electric field pulse was applied a certain time after the laser excitation. The quantum beat signal is observed when the time delay between excitation and ionization is varied. The fine structure splitting forn=21 to 31 has been measured.     

Doppler-free two-photon excitation of nitric oxide with frequency-stabilized cw dye laser radiation

Doppler-free two-photon transitions are induced in nitric oxide with blue, narrowband, tunable radiation generated by a frequency-stabilized cw dye ring laser. The recorded two-photon spectra provide a precise measurement of the spin-rotation splitting of the excited rotational levels (A ²∑⁺, ν' = 0) N' = 1 to N' = 19. The splitting constant γ is determined to be γ = 80.35(15) MHz.     

A simultaneous analysis of the microwave,submillimeterwave, and infrared transitions between the ground and ν2 inversion-rotation levels of 15NH3

The submillimeterwave spectra of the pure inversion and inversion-rotation transitions in the ν₂ excited state (79 transitons) and the diode laser spectra of the ν₂ band (83 transitions) of ¹⁵NH₃ have been measured. A simultaneous least squares analysis has been carried out of these data together with previously published wavenumbers of the pure inversion transitions and inversion-rotation transitions in the ground state measured by the microwave and Fourier spectroscopy, and the ν₂ band transition frequencies obtained by the infrared-microwave two-photon technique. A theory of the Δk = ±3n interactions in the ground and ν₂ excited states of ammonia (?. Urban, V. ?pirko, D. Papou?ek, J. Kauppinen, S. P. Belov, L. I. Gershtein, and A. F. Krupnov, J. Mol. Spectrosc.88, 274–282 (1981)) has been used in the analysis. The “smoothed” values of the ν₂ band wavenumbers can be used for calibration purposes with better than 1 × 10^?3 cm^?1 precision.     

Saturated absorption Stark spectroscopy of CH3OH with CO2 lasers

The vibration-torsion-rotation spectrum of CH₃OH has been studied by saturated absorption spectroscopy in applied electric fields up to 20 kV/cm, using ¹²C¹⁶O₂ and ¹²C¹⁶O₂ lasers. Frequency offsets for 129 absorption lines were measured relative to the frequency of a fluorescence stabilized reference laser with an accuracy of ±0.5 MHz for 75 lines inside the ±40 MHz tuning range and 2–5% for lines located up to 1.2 GHz outside the tuning range, but Stark tuned into resonance. For 36 lines we obtained fully-resolved Stark spectra, allowing determination of both lower and upper state K. Using this information in combination with information available from optically-pumped FIR laser emission, a total of 44 lines were completely assigned as transitions involving torsional n = 0, 1, 2 and 3 states of the CO stretch. Certain states belonging to n = 1 displayed an anomalous Stark effect which is at present not understood.     

Level structure of <Superscript>164</Superscript>Dy from the (<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>′γ) reaction

By employing a beam of reactor fast neutrons, gamma-ray spectra and angular distributions of gamma rays with respect to the neutron-beam axis were measured in the reaction ¹⁶⁴Dy(n, n′γ). The scheme of levels and gamma transitions in ¹⁶⁴Dy was composed on the basis of data published earlier and new levels, rotational bands, gamma transitions, and multipole-mixing parameters. It is concluded that the scheme of J = 0–4 levels is complete up to the excitation energy of 1.95 MeV. The commonly accepted rule in constructing K _n ^π = 0₂ ⁺ and 1₁ ⁺ rotational bands is found to be violated. The nature of the 2⁺ level at the energy of 1796.68 keV is discussed.     

Isotope shifts and hyperfine structure of the 6s-7p transitions in the cesium isotopes 133, 135, and 137

The 6s-7p transitions in cesium at 459.3 nm (7² P _1/2) and 455.5 nm (7² P _3/2) have been investigated by saturation spectroscopy in vapor cells, using a laser spectrometer with 500 kHz bandwidth in the blue spectral range. Isotope shifts as well as hyperfine splittings were determined for the isotopes 133, 135 and 137.     

A study of the methanol laser with a 500 MHz tunable CO2 pump laser

The absorption spectrum of CH₃OH is measured optoacoustically over a 500 MHz tuning range in 84 different CO₂ laser lines, and 19 assigned CO-stretch absorptions are used for establishing the linearity of the measurements over two decades of absorption coefficient. 40 new FIR laser lines originating from large offset absorption, are reported in the wavelength range between 40 and 400 m, and their wavelengths are given with a relative accuracy of 5×10^–5. 30 lines are assigned, involving CO-stretch transitions in torsionaln=0, 1, and 2 states, as well as transitions inn=3 of the vibrational ground state, pumped by transitions to Fermi interacting states.Work supported by the Danish National Science Research Council grant No. 11-5375     

Rotational analysis of the ν2 band of NH2D

High-resolution diode laser spectra and medium-resolution F-T spectra of deuterated ammonia have been obtained in the 700- to 1030-cm⁻¹ region. Out of about 800 lines measured by diode laser spectroscopy, approximately 500 lines have been assigned to the ν₂ transitions of NH₂D. The parameters for the ground and ν₂ states of NH₂D have been derived by the simultaneous analysis of the infrared and microwave data. The standard deviation for the IR data is ∼8 × 10⁻⁴ cm⁻¹. It is shown that the energy levels of NH₂D in the ν₂ state are heavily perturbed by inversion-rotation interaction and that it is necessary to include higher order inversion-rotation interaction terms to obtain a satisfactory fit of the observed data.     

Quadrupole moments and the structure of the even titanium and chromium nuclei

The energies of the six circular transitions (n = 13 → n = 12 through n = 8 → n = 7) of the K^?Pb exotic atom have been measured to high precision (typically ～ 50 ppm) using Ge (Li) spectrometers. The data acquisition system was computer controlled and stabilized, the energy calibration spectrum was taken simultaneously with the data spectrum. The experimental energies of the six transitions were corrected for ADC nonlinearities and data-calibration spectrum shifts, as well as the presence of unresolved noncircular transition contaminants. The energies of five of the transitions (13 → 12 through 9 → 8) were computed from quantum electrodynamics, including all significant orders of vacuum polarization, electron screening and nuclear polarization. The mass of the K^? was adjusted to achieve a best fit with the experimental energies: the result was m_K^? = 493.657 ± 0.020 MeV.     

Investigations of Properties of <Superscript>89</Superscript>Y Levels with Reactor Fast Neutrons

By employing a beam of reactor fast neutrons, the spectrum of gamma rays up to an energy of 4.6MeV and their angular distributions with respect to the neutron-beamaxis aremeasured in the reaction ⁸⁹Y(n, n'γ). The multipolarities and multipole-mixture parameters for 34 gamma transitions and the spin–parities J^π of states excited in this reaction are determined. The lifetimes of the lowest 32 levels of 89Y were measured by the Doppler shift attenuation method, and the reduced probabilities for the respective gamma transitions were calculated. Levels of the K^π = +5/2⁺ and K^π = ?7/2⁺ bands associated with, respectively, prolate and oblate deformation shapes are found in ⁸⁹Y at low excitation energies.     

Dependence of the cesium absorption D1 linewidth on the thickness of atomic vapor column

A new nanocell has been elaborated, where the thickness of the atomic vapor column varies smoothly in the range L = 350–5100 nm. The cell allows studying the behavior of the resonance absorption at the D₁ line of cesium atoms by varying the thickness from L = λ / 2 to L = 5 λ with the step λ / 2 (λ being the resonant wavelength of the laser, 894 nm) and the laser intensity. It is shown that at low laser intensities a narrowing of the resonance absorption spectrum is observed for L = (2n + 1)λ/2 (with an integer n) up to L = (7/2)λ, whereas for L = nλ the spectrum broadens. The developed theoretical model well describes the experiment.     

Selective laser pumping of magnetic sublevels in the hyperfine structure of the cesium atom

The evolution of the populations of the magnetic sublevels of the cesium atom (¹³³Cs isotope) in resonant laser fields with linear polarization is analyzed using the equations for the density matrix. Analytic expressions are derived for stationary populations resulting from laser-induced optical transitions on the hyperfine structure components F _g = 3 ? F _e = 2, 3 and F _f = 4 ? F _e = 3, 4 of lines D ₁ (6² S _1/2 → 6² P _1/2) and D ₂ (6² S _1/2 → 6² P _3/2) depending on the initial values of the populations. The numerical solution of the evolution equations gives the characteristic times of stabilization of the steady regime as functions of laser field intensities and detuning from optical resonance. We determine the sequences of optical transitions increasing (by more than an order of magnitude) the population of the lower sublevel 6² S _1/2 F _g = 3 M = 0 of the “clock” microwave transition F _g = 3 M = 0 ? F _f = 4 M = 0 in the cesium frequency standard, which increases the signal intensity in the recording system by the same proportion.     

UV laser induced desorption of CsI and RbI ion clusters

Experimental results of laser sputtering of cesium and rubidium iodide secondary ions are presented. A TOF mass spectrometer, operating in linear mode, continuous extraction for positive or negative ions, was used for the analysis of (CsI)_nCs⁺, (CsI)_nI⁻, (RbI)_nRb⁺ and (RbI)_nI⁻ ion emission as a function of the laser irradiance. Experimental data show that the cluster ion emission yields decrease exponentially with n, for all the laser irradiances applied. Theoretical analysis of the clusters structure was performed using density functional theory at the B3LYP/LACV3P level, for the positive and negative cluster series. A quasi-equilibrium evolution of the clusters is proposed to extract a parameter characteristic of the cluster recombination process: the effective temperature. The hypothesis of the atomic species’ recombination (during the expansion of a high density highly ionized cloud) leading to cluster formation is confirmed to some extent in a second set of experiments: the UV laser ablation of a mixed and non-mixed cesium iodide and potassium bromide targets. These experiments show that the emission yields contain contributions from both the recombination process and from the sample stoichiometry, even for high laser irradiances.     

The stark effect in the 6snf Rydberg series of barium

The polarizabilities of the barium 6snf ³ F ₂ levels with principal quantum numbern ranging from 11 to 40 have been measured in a high resolution laser-atomic-beam experiment. In Coulomb approximation the contributions to the polarizabilities of all known even-parity levels connected with the³ F ₂ levels via the electric dipole operator have been calculated. In this way information on the to a large extent unknown 6sng ³ G ₃ Rydberg series is extracted. The results support earlier observations of a perturbation of this series in betweenn = 18 and 19, but no evidence has been found for a perturbation nearn = 14.