Selective excitation of the 62 D 3/2 state of the atomic thallium beam

The absorption of the tunable narrow-band laser radiation with λ = 276.9 nm at the 6² P _1/2 → 62 D _3/2 transition in the atomic thallium beam is experimentally studied. The isotopic selectivity and efficiency of the excitation of the 6² D _3/2 state is investigated. The splittings between the ²⁰³Tl and ²⁰⁵Tl isotopes were found to be Δv = 0.98 and 1.25 GHz for the transitions with the nuclear momenta F = 1 → F = 1, 2 and F = 0 → F = 1, respectively, which is sufficient for a relatively high isotopic selectivity of the 6² D _3/2 state excitation with the subsequent ionization for the laser separation of the thallium isotopes. The effects that lead to the broadening of the resonance and a decrease in the selectivity are analyzed. The main contribution is related to the field broadening by the laser radiation, which limits the mean laser power density.