Spectra of Odd-parity Rydberg States of Samarium Atom

With resonance excitation and field ionization detection technology, the samarium atom odd-parity Rydberg states 4f66snp(J=1) near the first ionization limit were studied via the excitation path of the total angular momentum quantum number 0→1→0→1. Firstly, a total of 94 odd-parity Rydberg levels were found in the energy range of 45 200~45 500 cm-1. Secondly, 68 of these levels were assigned to three bound Rydberg series through the analysis of effective quantum number and structural characteristics of Rydberg energy levels, and energies of other 26 levels were given. Then, using the Rydberg-Ritz formula, the three series were fitted respectively, and the ionization limit of the samarium atom was (45 519.61±0.79) cm-1. Finally, six kinds of polarization combination were used to excite the samarium atom, and the polarization selection rule further verified that the total angular momentum quantum number of the Rydberg states was 1. The results confirm the applicability of the field ionization detection technology to the highly excited Rydberg states of the samarium atom. Meanwhile, ionization limit of the samarium atom obtained by fitting from the odd-parity Rydberg series is corresponded to the value (45 519.64±1.39) cm-1 obtained by fitting from the even-parity Rydberg series from the reference. © 2020, Science Press. All right reserved.