Time-of-flight laser spectrometer

A new method of laser spectroscopy with a multichannel way of recording is proposed. In the above method the beam of laser carrying out resonance excitation of studied atoms at the first stage, is directed along the atom beam. It the generation line width of this laser is much less than doppler broadening of spectral line caused by the atom velocities scattering in the beam, the selection of atoms according to velocities will take place, i. e. only atoms, having a definite projection of velocity on laser beam direction, will be excited. If laser line has several components, concealed in doppler circuit, the spectrum of velocities of excited atoms will also include several components. Spectrum of ion velocities obtained as a result of photoionization of excited atoms, reproduces within the limits of doppler circuit the structure of spectral line, corresponding to atom transition into the given excited state, as laser frequency at the dye is fixed in the process, of measurement. The method, proposed, is characterized not only by the property of multichannel but by a new way of atomic beam collimation. Analysis of ion velocities permits to carry out the regime of non-doppler spectroscopy at weakly collima-- ted atomic beams with collimation degree of 1:3. It gives a gain in sensitivity of about one order in comparison with one-channel methods while operating with high resolution (of 30 MHz order)