Past exam of the quantum, atomic and molecular physics course of the University of Oxford / 2016 / 2 / d / Solution

For a hyperfine multiplet governed by the magnetic-dipole hyperfine interaction, adjacent frequency gaps obey ${\nu }_F=|A|F/h$. The five measured gaps for the first isotope are approximately in the ratios $1:2:3:4:5$. Therefore the six levels have $F=0,1,2,3,4,5$: the first measured gap corresponds to higher $F=1$. In particular $F_{\min }=|I-J|=0$ and $F_{\max }=I+J=5$, givingThis inference uses both the number of intervals and their successive ratios. Merely seeing six levels would specify only $\min (I,J)=5/2$ and would not by itself establish equality.

Solving a linear least-squares problem for a fit through the origin, taking the rounded frequencies as equally weighted, givesThus the scale of the hyperfine structure is about $4.80\times 10^{-26}$ J, or $3.00\times 10^{-7}$ eV. The displayed frequencies have unequal rounding precision, so additional fit digits are not physically warranted. The gap pattern supports a leading dipole interval rule, with small residuals that do not establish higher-multipole constants without uncertainties.

The total width between $F=0$ and $F=5$ is $15|A_{55}|$, about $1.086$ GHz in frequency units. The sign of $A_{55}$, the absolute nuclear g-factor and the electronic field coefficient cannot be separated from these gap magnitudes alone. Measuring the level ordering or using another known magnetic property would supply additional information. The figure in b shows the positive-$A$ ordering as an illustration.