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The First Spectrum of Ytterbium (Yb i)
William F Meggers1, Jack L Tech1
1Institute for Basic Standards, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C. 20234.
Journal of Research of the National Bureau of Standards (1977)
|September 27, 2021
Summary
This study reports 1791 spectral lines of neutral ytterbium, classifying 787 lines into energy levels. The Zeeman effect was analyzed for 249 lines, aiding in the understanding of ytterbium
Area of Science:
- Atomic Physics
- Spectroscopy
- Quantum Mechanics
Background:
- Accurate atomic data is crucial for various scientific and technological applications.
- Understanding the energy level structure of neutral ytterbium (Yb I) is essential for its astrophysical and laser applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report wavelengths and intensities for a comprehensive set of neutral ytterbium spectral lines.
- To analyze the Zeeman effect for selected ytterbium lines to aid in level assignments.
- To classify observed spectral lines by assigning them to transitions between even and odd energy levels.
Main Methods:
- Experimental measurement of spectral line wavelengths and intensities in the 2155–31308 Å region.
- Investigation of the Zeeman effect for 249 ytterbium spectral lines.
- Analysis of spectral data to determine energy level classifications and electron configurations.
Main Results:
- Reported wavelengths and estimated intensities for 1791 lines of neutral ytterbium.
- Classified 787 lines as transitions between 102 even and 77 odd energy levels.
- Assigned even levels to configurations including 4f¹⁴6s² (ground state) and various excited states; assigned odd levels to 4f¹⁴6snp, 4f¹⁴6snf, and tentatively to 4f¹³5d²6s.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a significant expansion of the known spectral data for neutral ytterbium.
- The classification of energy levels and the analysis of the Zeeman effect contribute to a more complete understanding of Yb I atomic structure.
- Further investigation is needed to fully assign the remaining unclassified odd levels, likely belonging to the 4f¹³5d²6s configuration.
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