DIODE-LASER SATURATED ABSORPTION-MEASUREMENTS OF ISOTOPE SHIFTS AND HYPERFINE-STRUCTURE IN ZRI

An extended cavity diode laser system has been used to obtain optical isotope shift and hyperfine structure data on a number of 4d(3)5s a 5F -->4d(2)5s5p zF-5(o) transitions in zirconium I by saturated absorptio n spectroscopy. The zirconium vapour was generated by cathodic sputter ing in a rare-ps discharge. Using earlier muonic atom and electron sca ttering data, the specific mass and field shift components of the isot ope shifts have been determined. The large positive field shifts are i nterpreted in terms of a reduction in screening of the s electrons ass ociated with the 4d-->5p transition, while the large negative specific mass shifts are attributed to the reduction in the number of 4d elect rons, whose momenta couple strongly with the momenta of the inner shel l p electrons.