Nuclear excitation during atomic electron transitions

The nuclear excitation by electron transition (NEET) proposed by Morita is investigated. First a brief review of theory and experiment is given. A search is made for nuclear levels that can be excited by NEET for Z = l ～ 102 (A = l ～ 257), and some possible candidates are tabulated. The NEET probability P is evaluated for eight stable nuclei. In general P is found to be very small and its detection would be difficult, but future developments in experimental technique could make the detection possible. Two practical applications of NEET, isotope separation and γ-ray laseres, are briefly explained.