Atomic Spectra and Atomic Structure

Finkelnburg, Wolfgang

doi:10.1007/978-3-662-25001-3_3

Cited by 25 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…While the first statement summarized Stern's and Gerlach's epochal discovery, the second was true only approximately and, moreover, on account of what could be called "an uncanny conspiracy of Nature" [34,35]: As we know today, the silver atoms were in their electronic ground state 2 S 1 2 , with spin, orbital, and total angular momentum quantum numbers S = 1 2 , L = 0, and J = 1 2 , respectively, and possible values of the projection quantum number M S = ± 1 2 , see Refs. [34][35][36]. Thus their magnetic moment µ = −g S Sµ B was due to electron spin S and had a magnitude |µ| = S(S + 1)g S µ B = √ 3 2 g S µ B and components µ Z = ∓ 1 2 g S µ B for the projections S Z = ± 1 2 ℏ of the spin angular momentum on the Z axis, see FIG.…”

Section: Gerlach Andmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…In modern notation, the ground state of each atom is characterized by the term symbol 2S+1 LJ . Note that the maximum expected deflection is proportional to the magnetic dipole moment µZ = −JgµB, where g is the g-factor [36,44,45] Perhaps the most striking result Gerlach obtained with his advanced SGE-type apparatus was the deflection pattern for a beam of nickel atoms [25], see FIG. 13.…”

Section: Additional Sge-type Explorations By Gerlach and Sternmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A century ago the Stern-Gerlach experiment ruled unequivocally in favor of Quantum Mechanics

Friedrich

2023

Preprint

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Section: Gerlach Andmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Additional Sge-type Explorations By Gerlach and Sternmentioning

confidence: 99%

A century ago the Stern-Gerlach experiment ruled unequivocally in favor of Quantum Mechanics

Friedrich

2023

Preprint

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show abstract

“…While the first statement summarized Stern's and Gerlach's epochal discovery, the second was true only approximately and, moreover, on account of what could be called "an uncanny conspiracy of Nature": [34,35] As we know today, the silver atoms were in their electronic ground state 2 S1 2 , with spin, orbital, and total angular momentum quantum numbers S ¼ 1 2 , L ¼ 0, and J ¼ 1 2 , respectively, and possible values of the projection quantum number M S ¼ � 1 2 , see Refs. [34][35][36]. Thus their magnetic moment μ = À g S Sμ B was due to electron spin S and had a magnitude j μ j ¼ ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi [18] p. 116.…”

Section: Outcome Of the Sgementioning

confidence: 99%

“…[25] In modern notation, the ground state of each atom is characterized by the term symbol 2S + 1 L J . Note that the maximum expected deflection is proportional to the magnetic dipole moment μ Z = À Jgμ B , where g is the g-factor, [36,44,45] J the total angular momentum quantum number, and μ B the Bohr magneton. See text.…”

Section: Additional Sge-type Explorations By Gerlach and Sternmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Century Ago the Stern–Gerlach Experiment Ruled Unequivocally in Favor of Quantum Mechanics

Friedrich

2023

Israel Journal of Chemistry

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In 1921, Otto Stern conceived the idea for an experiment that would decide between a classical and a quantum description of atomic behavior, as epitomized by the Bohr–Sommerfeld–Debye model of the atom. This model entailed not only the quantization of the magnitude of the orbital electronic angular momentum but also of the projection of the angular momentum on an external magnetic field – the so‐called space quantization. Stern recognized that space quantization would have observable consequences: namely, that the magnetic dipole moment due to the orbital angular momentum would be space quantized as well, taking two opposite values for atoms whose only unpaired electron has just one quantum of orbital angular momentum. When acted upon by a suitable inhomogeneous magnetic field, a beam of such atoms would be split into two beams consisting of deflected atoms with opposite projections of the orbital angular momentum on the magnetic field. In contradistinction, if atoms behaved classically, the atomic beam would only broaden along the field gradient and have maximum intensity at zero deflection, i. e., where there would be a minimum or no intensity for a beam split due to space quantization. Stern anticipated that, although simple in principle, the experiment would be difficult to carry out – and invited Walther Gerlach to team up with him. Gerlach's realism and experimental skills together with his sometimes stubborn determination to make things work proved invaluable for the success of the Stern–Gerlach experiment (SGE). After a long struggle, Gerlach finally saw, on 8 February 1922, the splitting of a beam of silver atoms in a magnetic field. The absence of the concept of electron spin confused and confounded the interpretation of the SGE, as the silver atoms were, in fact, in a 2S state, with zero orbital and 12 ${{1 \over 2}}$ spin angular momentum. However, a key quantum feature whose existence the SGE was designed to test – namely space quantization of electronic angular momentum – was robust enough to transpire independent of whether the electronic angular momentum was orbital or due to spin. The SGE entails other key aspects of quantum mechanics such as quantum measurement, state preparation, coherence, and entanglement. Confronted with the outcome of the SGE, Stern noted: “I still have objections to the idea of beauty of quantum mechanics. But she is correct.”

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“…Spectrometry is one of the most basic and efficient tools to reveal atomic and molecular structures [1,2] and even to supervise complex molecular dynamics such as the forming of medicine. [3] For atoms in free external fields or molecules without alignment, the optical transition actually happens with a large amount of degenerate states, and thus the geometry of the laser polarization is not so important.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spectral decomposition at a complex laser polarization configuration

Yang¹,

Gao²,

Cai³

et al. 2013

Chinese Phys. B

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We study the role of laser polarization in the diamagnetic spectrum for the transition from the ground state to the highly excited Rydberg states through a single photon absorption. For simplicity, one usually polarizes the irradiation laser to the selected main quantum axis, which is along the applied external electric or magnetic field. The transition selection rule is simply expressed as Δm = 0, which corresponds to the π transition. When the polarization is circularly polarized around the main axis, the σ+ or σ− transition occurs, corresponding to the selection rule of Δm = 1 or Δm = −1, respectively. A slightly more complex case is that the laser is linearly polarized perpendicular to the main axis. The numerical calculation shows that we can decompose the transition into the sum of σ+ and σ− transitions, it is noted as the σ transition. For the more complex case in which the laser is linearly polarized with an arbitrary angle with respect to the main axis, we have to decompose the polarization into one along the main axis and the other one perpendicular to the main axis. They correspond to π and σ transitions, respectively. We demonstrate that these transitions in the diamagnetic spectrum and the above spectral decomposition well explain the experimentally observed spectra.

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Atomic Spectra and Atomic Structure

Cited by 25 publications

References 6 publications

A century ago the Stern-Gerlach experiment ruled unequivocally in favor of Quantum Mechanics

A century ago the Stern-Gerlach experiment ruled unequivocally in favor of Quantum Mechanics

A Century Ago the Stern–Gerlach Experiment Ruled Unequivocally in Favor of Quantum Mechanics

Spectral decomposition at a complex laser polarization configuration

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