Resonance ionization spectroscopy in a buffer gas cell with radioactive decay detection, demonstrated usingTl208

An ultrasensitive laser spectroscopic method has been developed to perform hyperfine spectroscopy of heavy-ion-induced reaction products. It is based on resonance ionization in a buffer gas cell combined with radioactive decay detection. The feasibility has been demonstrated using the \ensuremath{\beta}-active ${\mathrm{isotope}}^{208}$ Tl. A sensitivity of 1.3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}3}$ of the two-step resonance-ionization process via the n=17 Rydberg level has been determined, utilizing a pulsed excimer-dye-laser combination. The previously unknown nuclear magnetic moment \ensuremath{\mu}${(}^{208}$Tl) = 0.292(13)${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}_{\mathi…