Sensitive detection of flame absorption spectra of rare-earth elements with a dye laser

The dye-laser amplified absorption method is applied to observe the atomic absorption lines of rare-earth elements in a nitrous-oxide-acetylene flame. All of the rare-earth elements except Pm are analyzed and about 1200 lines have been recorded within the continuous spectral region from 432 to 670 nm. A much larger number of absorption lines can be detected than those measured by the traditional method. The absorption bands of monoxide molecules have also been detected.