Diode laser saturated absorption measurements of isotope shifts and hyperfine structure in ZrI

Abstract

An extended cavity diode laser system has been used to obtain optical isotope shift and hyperfine structure data on a number of 4d 35s a 5F → 4d 25s5p z 6F° transitions in zirconium I by saturated absorption spectroscopy. The zirconium vapour was generated by cathodic sputtering in a rare-gas discharge. Using earlier muonic atom and electron scattering data, the specific mass and field shift components of the isotope shifts have been determined. The large positive field shifts are interpreted in terms of a reduction in screening of the s electrons associated with the 4d → 5p transition, while the large negative specific mass shifts are attributed to the reduction in the number of 4d electrons, whose momenta couple strongly with the momenta of the inner shell p electrons.