Abstract

A diode-laser step has been incorporated into a resonance-ionization mass spectrometry optical excitation process to enhance the isotopic selectivity of the technique. Lanthanum isotope ratio enhancements as high as 10³ were achieved by use of a single-frequency cw diode laser tuned to excite the first step of a three-step excitation–ionization optical process; the subsequent steps were excited by use of a pulsed dye laser. Applying the same optical technique, we measured atomic hyperfine constants for the high-lying even-parity ⁴D_5/2 state of lanthanum at 30 354 cm⁻¹. The general utility of this spectral approach is discussed.

© 1995 Optical Society of America

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