Hyperfine structure and isotope shift investigations in202–222Rn for the study of nuclear structure beyond Z=82

The hyperfine structure (hfs) and isotope shift (IS) in the isotopic chain of the radioactive element radon have been studied for the first time. The measurements were carried out by collinear fast-beam laser spectroscopy at the mass separator facility ISOLDE at CERN. The IS between 16 isotopes in the mass range 202A222 and the hfs of 7 odd-A isotopes were determined in the transitions 7s [3/2]₂-7p [5/2]₃ (745 nm) of Rn I. The nuclear spins and moments, as well as the observed inversion of the odd-even staggering for^218–222Rn, can be associated with the effects of octupole instability around N=134.This work was supported by the Bundesministerium für Forschung und Technologie and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Nuclear ground state spins of short-lived strontium isotopes

Nuclear ground state spins of the odd-mass strontium isotopes between A=79 and 97 were determined by measurements of the hyperfine structure in the ionic transition 5s²S_1/2?5p²P_3/2. The spins of⁹³Sr and⁹⁷Sr are revised to I=5/2 and I=1/2, respectively, while assignments for the remaining isotopes are confirmed.     

β-NMR in II–VI semiconductors

β-active probe nuclei are implanted in nominally undoped ZnSe crystals. β-radiation detected nuclear magnetic resonance (β-NMR) studies are described for two different probe nuclei, ⁸Li and ¹²B. This way, the implantation behavior of two “opposite”dopants, one acceptor (Li) and one donor (B) can be characterized by the same microscopic technique. Such characterizations are attempted in terms of the structure of intermediate or final lattice sites, defect charge states, or the kinetics of defect reactions and site changes. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Isotope shift of182Hg and an update of nuclear moments and charge radii in the isotope range181Hg-206Hg

The technique of collinear fast-beam laser spectroscopy has been used to measure the isotope shifts of the even-even isotopes of Hg (Z=80) in the mass range 182≤A≤198 at the on-line mass separator ISOLDE at CERN. The atomic transition studied (6s 6p ³ P ₂- 6s7s ³ S ₁,λ=546.1 nm) starts from a metastable state, which is populated in a quasi resonant charge transfer process. The resulting changes in nuclear mean square charge radii show clearly that¹⁸²Hg follows the trend of the heavier, even, weakly oblate isotopes. Correspondingly the huge odd-even shape staggering in the light Hg isotopes continues and the nuclear shape staggering and shape coexistence persists down to the last isotope investigated,¹⁸¹Hg. An update of isotope shift and hyperfine structure data for^181–206Hg is given, with a revised evaluation of the differences in nuclear mean square charge radii and of spectroscopic quadrupole moments.     

Evaluation of the magnetic moments of radium isotopes

Using the relativistic linked cluster many-body perturbation procedure we have obtained the hyperfine field at the nucleus of the Ra⁺ ion in the²S_1/2 ground state. There is good agreement between the calculated magnetic moment of²¹³Ra and the results of a recent Zeeman measurement by the collinear laser beam technique. Detailed comparison is carried out between our result and earlier ones.     

The quadrupole moment of the neutron-halo nucleus11Li

The quadrupole moment ratio of⁹Li and¹¹Li was measured by a combination of in-beam laser induced nuclear polarization and Β-NMR in LiNbO₃. The result ¦Q(¹¹Li)/Q(⁹Li)¦=1.14(16) is consistent with cluster models describing¹¹Li as composed of a⁹Li core and a far extended halo of two loosely bound neutrons.     

Relativistic J-dependence of the isotope shift in the 6s-6p doublet of Ba II

The collinear laser-ion beam technique has been used to measure the isotope shift and hyperfine structure in the 6s-6p doublet (4,934Å, 4,554Å) of Ba II for all seven stable isotopes. The influence of the excited² P _1/2 and² P _3/2 states on the field shift leads to a difference of 2.5(3)% in the electronicF factors. The specific mass shifts differ by {A′-A} 2.2(3) MHz which corresponds to about 12% of the normal mass shift.     

Quadrupole interaction of8Li and9Li in LiNbO3 and the quadrupole moment of9Li

The quadrupole interaction of nuclear spin polarized⁸Li (I=2) and⁹Li (I=3/2) in LiNbO₃ has been studied at room temperature. The polarization was achieved by optical pumping of a fast atomic beam with circularly polarized laser light. The atoms were implanted into a hexagonal LiNbO₃ single crystal and the quadrupole splitting ofβ-NMR spectra was measured. A ratio of ¦Q(⁹Li)/Q(⁸Li)¦=0.88(4) for the nuclear quadrupole moments was deduced, yielding a new value of ¦Q(⁹Li)¦=25.3 (9) mb for the quadrupole moment of⁹Li.     

Laser spectroscopy — Recent results and prospects for lighter nuclei

Atomic physics methods have provided important information about the electromagnetic properties of the nuclear ground states. In recent years the experimental effort has been directed towards optical high resolution spectroscopy of very high sensitivity, giving access to short-lived nuclides very far from stability. A few of these new techniques based on collinear laser spectroscopy are presented with their latest results. They are suitable for an extension of the experiments to the region of lighter nuclei.