PULSED ELECTRIC-FIELD IONIZATION OF STARK STATES OF NEUTRAL YTTERBIUM

We have studied the electric-field ionization of the Stark-manifold st ates of neutral ytterbium and have found that it is similar in its gro ss features to the field ionization of neutral sodium, which is attrib uted to. the large anticrossing of the Stark states of identical \m(l) \ value. The experimental study is carried out to characterize the pul sed-field ionization of excited Yb, whose results are consistent with the predictions of a simply physical model of the processes. The obser vation shows no significant effect caused by the double excitation of Yb.