Separation of samarium isotopes by the two-step photoionization method

Multistep Laser Photoionization of the Lanthanides and Actinides

“…For most of the lanthanides and actinides, this has been accomplished by conventional spectroscopy. However, additional levels in the neutral atoms of these elements are easily found by laser techniques, especially at high excitation energy or near the ionization limit where conventional sources usually fail because of the very low absorption intensities for these levels and their low population in emission sources.Lifetimes, oscillator strengths, branching ratios, isotope shifts, hyperfine structure and autoionization structure are all critical parameters in atomic vapor laser isotope separation, (2,6,10,15,16,17) while the first three are important in potential laser excited atomic vapor processes. Isotope shifts and hyperfine structure are useful in determining energy levels, in assigning these energy levels to the different electronic configurations of an element and in determining nuclear properties of isotopes of the elements, but we will not discuss these applications here.…”

“…Lifetimes, oscillator strengths, branching ratios, isotope shifts, hyperfine structure and autoionization structure are all critical parameters in atomic vapor laser isotope separation, (2,6,10,15,16,17) while the first three are important in potential laser excited atomic vapor processes. Isotope shifts and hyperfine structure are useful in determining energy levels, in assigning these energy levels to the different electronic configurations of an element and in determining nuclear properties of isotopes of the elements, but we will not discuss these applications here.…”