Isotope shift studies and electronic configuration assignments to the energy levels of neutral erbium

Isotope shifts ΔT (170-166) have been evaluated for 54 even and 94 odd energy levels covering almost all the known configurations of the neutral erbium. These ΔT values have been derived from the isotope shift measurements carried out in 159 lines in the region 3900–4605 A using a Fabry-Perot spectrometer and liquid-air-cooled hollow cathode source with highly enriched ¹⁷⁰Er and ¹⁶⁶Er isotopic samples. Electronic configurations assigned to energy levels of Er I by earlier workers have been mostly confirmed and in few cases revisions have been suggested on the basis of observed ΔT values. Probable configurations have been also suggested for unassigned levels of Er I, and a large number of even levels could be assigned to 4f¹¹ 5d 6s 6p configuration.