Nuclear charge radii changes of uranium and hafnium isotopes determined by laser spectroscopy

The present work reports measurements of isotope shifts and hyperfine structure in the optical spectra of two high-Z elements: Hf and U. The experiments are based on the observation of the resonance fluorescence in a well collimated atomic beam, excited by a tunable dye laser. The chains of the stable Hf isotopes and of^{233–236, 238}U have been investigated and changes in ms nuclear charge radii have been deduced. The results have been discussed from the point of view of nuclear structure in the investigated regions.