MULTIPHOTON IONIZATION STUDIES OF SODIUM AND CESIUM ATOMS

Abstract

Multiphoton ionization (MPI) spectra of sodium and cesium were obtained in a crossed $N_{2}$ pumped dye laser and alkali beam. Hybrid resonance were observed at the cesium $7d^{2}D_{3/2} -6p^{2}P_{1/2}$ and $7p^{2}P_{3/2}- 6p^{2}P_{1/2}$ transitions and the sodium $4d^{2}D_{3/2, 5/2} - 3p^{2}P_{1/2, 3/2}$ transitions together with the more common MPI via intermediate S, P and D states. Power dependences for these processes are presented together with and interesting case of a switch from red to blue Stark shifting in the sodium MPI spectrum.