Abstract
The first direct observation of a hyperfine splitting in the optical regime is reported. The wavelength of the transition between the and hyperfine levels of the ground state of hydrogenlike was measured to be nm by detection of laser induced fluorescence at the heavy-ion storage ring ESR at GSI. In addition, the lifetime of the laser excited sublevel was determined to be ms. The method can be applied to a number of other nuclei and should allow a novel test of QED corrections in the previously unexplored combination of strong magnetic and electric fields in highly charged ions.
- Received 27 December 1993
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.73.2425
©1994 American Physical Society