6533b7cffe1ef96bd12582db

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Model independent determination of the spin of theTa180naturally occurring isomer

subject

description

The hyperfine structures of the 33715.27 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and 33706.47 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ transitions from the ground state of singly ionized Ta have been measured by collinear laser spectroscopy. The structures were found to contain a large second order contribution. From fitting the observed hyperfine components for both $^{181}\mathrm{Ta}$ and the $^{180}\mathrm{Ta}$ naturally occurring isomer it was possible to determine the first and second order hyperfine structure coefficients. As no model independent determination of the nuclear spin of the $^{180}\mathrm{Ta}$ isomer has been performed, fitting was attempted for a range of spins. A clear chi-squared minimum is obtained for a nuclear spin of 9, in agreement with model dependent measurements.