New energy levels of atomic niobium by laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy in the near infrared

Laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy was applied in order to find new energy levels of the niobium atom. A continuous wave tuneable titanium-sapphire laser in the wavelength range from 750 to 865 nm and a hollow-cathode lamp were used. We discovered four energy levels of even parity, three lying levels below 19 000 cm(-1) and one at much higher energy. Additionally hyperfine structure data of six levels of odd parity were determined