SHIFTS OF THE 3D-4P TRANSITIONS IN DIFFERENT ISOTOPES OF POSITIVE CALCIUM-IONS

A sample of stable Ca+ isotopes containing the masses 40, 42, 43 and 4 4 was stored under buffer-gas conditions in a Paul ion trap. After pop ulation of the metastable 3D levels by spontaneous decay of the laser- excited 4P state we observed laser-induced fluorescence when we scanne d a laser across the different 3D-4P fine-structure lines at 850, 854 and 866 nm. From the Doppler-limited lines of these transitions we ded uced the isotope shifts, which are of the order of several GHz due to the large specific mass shift of the metastable 3D levels.