We report the most accurate measurement of the helium fine structure splitting. The 23P0-23P1 energy splitting is 29 616 949.7 6 2.0 kHz. Laser saturation spectroscopy, heterodyne pure frequency determination, and fluorescence detection were combined in a novel experimental approach. The absence of external perturbing magnetic fields, used in earlier experiments, lends confidence to our determined value and allows us to discriminate between contradictory results previously reported. This result, when combined with expected advances in theory, should yield a new value of the fine structure alpha, which may help clarify a presently puzzling experimental situation.
Minardi F., Bianchini G., Cancio-Pastor P., Giusfredi G., Pavone F.S., Inguscio M. (1999). Measurement of the helium 23P0-23P1fine structure interval. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 82(6), 1112-1115 [10.1103/PhysRevLett.82.1112].
Measurement of the helium 23P0-23P1fine structure interval
Minardi F.Primo
;
1999
Abstract
We report the most accurate measurement of the helium fine structure splitting. The 23P0-23P1 energy splitting is 29 616 949.7 6 2.0 kHz. Laser saturation spectroscopy, heterodyne pure frequency determination, and fluorescence detection were combined in a novel experimental approach. The absence of external perturbing magnetic fields, used in earlier experiments, lends confidence to our determined value and allows us to discriminate between contradictory results previously reported. This result, when combined with expected advances in theory, should yield a new value of the fine structure alpha, which may help clarify a presently puzzling experimental situation.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
