hyperfine structure
Nuclear spin effects
Hyperfine structure refers to tiny splittings in atomic energy levels caused by interactions between electrons and the nucleus—specifically the nucleus's magnetic moment and electric charge distribution.
These splittings are much smaller than fine structure (hence "hyper-fine") and produce extremely precise spectral lines.
The hyperfine transition of hydrogen defines the second in atomic timekeeping: Cesium atomic clocks rely on hyperfine transitions.
- atomic clockQuantum-vibration timekeeping device
- spectral lineWavelength marking atomic transition
- rubidiumAlkali metal, atomic thirty-seven
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- cesiumAlkali metal, number fifty-five
frequency · magnetic resonance · gyromagnetic ratio · spectrum · atomic physics · microwave radiation · hydrogen atom · absorption · energy levels · angular momentum · quantum number · electron · splitting · interaction · coupling · microwave · levels · spin
- spin physicselectron spin, spin up, spin down, spin-up, antiparallel
- quantum transitionsquantum jump, quantum leap, excited state, ground state, energy levels
- Relativistic Quantumantimatter, antiparticle, antiparticles, positron, chirality
- spectral linesspectral lines, spectral line, emission spectrum, line width, bright lines
structure, structured, restructure, unstructured, structuring, restructuring, substructure, restructured, superstructure