Lithium ( ) splits at zero field into above

PHYSICS · Subjective · Fermi University Physics · Quantum Mechanics · Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics · Radiative transitions, external fields and collisions

Deriving the Spectrum, Ch Atoms in magnetic fields

Problem

Lithium 2p2p (l=1l=1) splits at zero field into 2P3/2^2P_{3/2} above 2P1/2^2P_{1/2}, separated by 10.06 GHz10.06\,\mathrm{GHz}. As the field is swept from zero, the six sublevels group into blocks of equal mjm_j: two one-dimensional blocks (mj=±32m_j=\pm\tfrac32, the stretched states) and two 2×22\times2 blocks (mj=±12m_j=\pm\tfrac12, each containing one sublevel from 2P3/2^2P_{3/2} and one from 2P1/2^2P_{1/2}). Predict which pairs of sublevels repel (avoided crossing) and which pairs may genuinely cross as the field increases, and justify the difference from the structure of the magnetic Hamiltonian.

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