Precision measurement of the 1S Lamb shift and of the 1S-2S isotope shift of hydrogen and deuterium

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980 · Phys. Rev., A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.22.192· OSTI ID:5273445

Wieman, C; Haensch, T W

A precision measurement of the 1S Lamb shift of atomic hydrogen and deuterium, using high-resolution laser spectroscopy is reported. The 1S-2S transition was observed by Doppler-free two-photon spectroscopy, using a single-frequency cw dye laser near 4860 A with a nitrogen-pumped pulsed dye amplifier and a lithium formate frequency doubler. The n=2-- 4 Balmer-..beta.. line was simultaneously recorded with the fundamental cw dye-laser output in a low-pressure glow discharge, using sensitive laser polarization spectroscopy. From a comparison of the two energy intervals a ground-state Lamb shift of 8151 +- 30 MHz has been determined for hydrogen and 8177 +- 30 MHz for deuterium, in agreement with theory. The same experiments yield a tenfold improved value of the 1S-2S isotope shift 670 992.3 +- 6.3 MHz and provide the first experimental confirmation of the relativistic nuclear recoil contribution to hydrogenic energy levels.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305
• OSTI ID: 5273445
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev., A; (United States), Vol. 22:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
DEUTERIUM
LAMB SHIFT
HYDROGEN
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
ISOTOPE EFFECTS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
NONMETALS
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
SPECTRAL SHIFT
STABLE ISOTOPES
640302* - Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics- Atomic & Molecular Properties & Theory