Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2026
07:03
In Situ Measurement of Vacuum Window Birefringence using 25Mg+ Fluorescence
Published on: June 13, 2020
Vacuum ultraviolet Mach-Zehnder interferometer with CaF(2) optics
Applied Optics
|March 24, 2010
Summary
Researchers measured atomic xenon oscillator strength using a VUV Mach-Zehnder interferometer with CaF(2) optics. The hook method yielded a result consistent with other techniques, suggesting future routine measurements above 150 nm.
Area of Science:
- Atomic Physics
- Spectroscopy
- Optical Interferometry
Background:
- Accurate measurement of atomic spectral line properties is crucial for understanding atomic structure and processes.
- Vacuum Ultraviolet (VUV) spectroscopy presents unique challenges due to the high energy and absorption of VUV radiation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the performance of a VUV Mach-Zehnder interferometer equipped with CaF(2) optics.
- To measure the oscillator strength of a specific atomic xenon line using the hook method.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a VUV Mach-Zehnder interferometer with CaF(2) optics.
- Employed the hook method to determine oscillator strength.
- Measured the oscillator strength of the 146.9610-nm (1)S(0)-(3)P(0)(1) line of atomic xenon.
Main Results:
- The oscillator strength for the targeted xenon line was determined to be f = 0.244 +/- 0.015.
- The obtained result shows good agreement with values derived from other experimental techniques.
Conclusions:
- The VUV Mach-Zehnder interferometer with CaF(2) optics is suitable for routine oscillator strength measurements using the hook method for wavelengths above approximately 150 nm.
- Measurements below 150 nm require more intense VUV continuum sources for reliable application of this technique.
Related Concept Videos
01:14UV–Vis Spectrometers
The absorbance of UV and visible (UV–visible) radiations is measured using a UV–visible spectrophotometer. Deuterium lamps, which emit UV radiation, and tungsten lamps, which produce radiation in the visible region, are used as light sources in UV–visible spectrophotometers. A monochromator or prism is used for diffraction grating, i.e., to split the incoming radiation into different wavelengths. A system of slits is used to focus the desired wavelength on the sample cell. Samples for...
01:02Ultraviolet and Visible (UV–Vis) Spectroscopy: Overview
Ultraviolet–visible (UV–visible or UV–Vis) spectroscopy is an analytical technique that investigates the interaction between matter and UV–Vis light within the electromagnetic spectrum. This method is widely used for its versatility, simplicity, and relatively quick data acquisition, making it valuable for both qualitative and quantitative analysis. When UV–Vis radiation passes through a material, molecules absorb light depending on the energy required for electronic transitions. As a result...
01:26Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy
Phase-Contrast Microscopes
In-phase-contrast microscopes, interference between light directly passing through a cell and light refracted by cellular components is used to create high-contrast, high-resolution images without staining. It is the oldest and simplest type of microscope that creates an image by altering the wavelengths of light rays passing through the specimen. Altered wavelength paths are created using an annular stop in the condenser. The annular stop produces a hollow cone of...
In-phase-contrast microscopes, interference between light directly passing through a cell and light refracted by cellular components is used to create high-contrast, high-resolution images without staining. It is the oldest and simplest type of microscope that creates an image by altering the wavelengths of light rays passing through the specimen. Altered wavelength paths are created using an annular stop in the condenser. The annular stop produces a hollow cone of...