The effect of a nuclear spin on the optical spectra.—III

Abstract

In two recent papers the author has discussed the effect of a nuclear spin on the optical spectra by the method of multiple wave-functions. In these papers the interaction energy of the nuclear and electron spins was not taken into account, as has been pointed out by Hill. By its omission the equations were simplified considerably, without affecting the intensity ratios of the lines of the multiplet. The problem of finding the relative intensities is a purely kinematical one, depending as it does, to the first approximation, on the un­perturbed wave-functions. In the papers cited we used the interaction energy of the nuclear spin and orbital momentum to find the 4 i n + 2 wave-functions ( i n being the number of quanta of nuclear spin) which must replace the two wave-functions necessary to describe the electron spin fine structure. In order to describe the multiple energy levels correctly we must calculate the interaction energy of the two spins in addition to the energy increments already calculated in I and II. This is the first purpose of the present paper, and the work is carried out for the cases i n = ½, 1, 1½, 4½. It is found that in the case of the p ½ levels the interaction energy of the two spins is equal to that of the nuclear spin and orbital momentum, while for the p 3/2 levels the ratio is — ⅕. It is further found that the energy levels of the S terms are correctly given in I and II. As regards comparison with Jackson’s results in the case of cæsium, it would seen that, the separation of the p -levels being very small in comparison with that of the S-level, he has been able to observe the multiplet structure of the lines due to the separation of the S-level only. If we make this assumption it will be seen on reference to I that our results agree quite well with his observations.