Radiation detected resonance ionization spectroscopy on²⁰⁸Tl and^242fAm

Abstract

An ultra-sensitive laser spectroscopic method has been developed for the hyperfine spectroscopy of short-lived isotopes far off stability produced by heavy ion induced nuclear reactions at very weak intensity (> 1/s). It is based on resonance ionization spectroscopy in a buffer gas cell with radiation detection of the ionization process (RADRIS). As a first on-line application of RADRIS optical spectroscopy at^242fAm fission isomers is in progress at the low target production rate of 10/s. The resonance ionization has been performed in two steps utilizing an excimer dye laser combination with a repetition rate of 300 Hz. The first resonant step proceeds through terms which correspond to wavelengths of 466.28, 468.17 or 426.56 nm; the second non-resonant step is achieved with the 351 nm radiation of the excimer laser itself, running with XeF. The frequency scans of the tuneable dye laser at 466.28 and 468.17 nm exhibit broad resonance ionization signals, the latter with a large isotope shift between^242fAm and²⁴³Am which is in accordance with the large quadrupole moment of the^242fAm fission isomer.