First Determination of the Ionization Potential of Americium and Curium

Abstract

By multistep resonance ionization with lasers, followed by mass spectrometry, the first ionization potential of neutral atoms can be measured with quantities of only about one nanogram. The ionization potentials of americium (5.9736(3) eV) and of curium (5.9914(2) eV) were thus determined for the first time. The figure on the right shows a plot of the number of ions N versus the total photon energy Etot of three laser beams, which are essential for the experiment. The arrow points to the ionization threshold.