Determination of the Pu autoionizing level angular moments by a multistep excitation with linearly polarized laser light

The modified polarization spectroscopy method was applied for determination of angular momenta of autoionizing states of Pu in multistep resonance ion ization processes. In comparison with the known one, our method does not re quire circular polarization at all, only linear polarizations are needed. T his simplicity was reached using a three-dimensional excitation geometry. A ngular momenta of nine new autoionizing Pu-242 states were determined. The method suggested could be applied for efficiency improvement in multistep R IMS applications as well as for the odd-even isotope separation for element s with a J = 0 ground state (Pu, Yb, Sm etc.). (C) 1999 Published by Elsevi er Science B.V. All rights reserved.