Hyperfine-structure studies of Nb ii: Experimental and relativistic configuration-interaction results

We report an experimental and theoretical study of the hyperfine structure (hfs) in various metastable states in Nb93 ii. Hyperfine structures of five levels in Nb ii have been measured using a combination of the laser-rf double resonance and laser-induced fluorescence methods in a collinear laser-ion-beam geometry. Theoretically, for J=2, a multireference calculation of energies and hfs based on a relativistic configuration-interaction methodology of the lowest ten levels in the (4d+5s)4 manifold is reported. The average energy error is 450 cm-1. Many of the hyperfine constants show large changes from the Dirac-Fock values and the magnetic dipole constant has a 4% accuracy for the one J=2 level measured. We have also identified all the core-valence and core-core effects that dominate the energy differences and hfs. © 1995 The American Physical Society