FM-p4

APRIL 7, 2010
CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
1ST WRITTEN TEST
a.a. 2009/2010

Exercise 1. At room temperature, the absorption spectrum of Aluminum (Z = 13) for electric dipole
transitions presents 3 close lines with energies: 4.00861, 4.00877, 4.02250 eV. Assuming LS coupling,
answer the following questions, justifying each answer.
a) Indicate the ground state, indicating the spectroscopic term, according to Hund's rules.
b) Explain why at room temperature we expect that also another level is appreciably populated, indicating
its spectroscopic term.
c) Using the selection rules, and considering the number of observed lines, what are the spectroscopic
terms of the excited levels after the transitions?
d) Draw the energy level scheme, indicate on it 3 transitions which can be associated, making energy
considerations, to the 3 values given above.
e) Indicate the spin-orbit constants of the initial and final levels of the transitions.

Exercise 2. Atomic hydrogen in the ground state, in the presence of a weak magnetic field B, absorbs
e.m. radiation which propagates perpendicularly to the field direction and with polarization parallel to it, so
that the levels with n = 2 are populated. The re-emitted radiation is analyzed along the direction of the field.
Neglect the Lamb shift.
a) Draw the energy levels scheme indicating on it the absorption transitions, taking into account the
selection rules in the given geometry.
b) Redraw the scheme of levels; indicate all the observable transitions starting from the populated levels,
compatible with the selection rules in the given geometry, reissue.
c) Describe quantitatively the absorption spectra and emission.

SOLUTIONS
1)
a. At room T the configuration is that of the ground state: (3s)2 (3p)1. So L = 1; S = 1/2; J = ½, 3/2. From
Hund’s rules, the ground state is J = 1/2: 2P1/2.
b. At room T the thermal energy is 0.026 eV, much higher than the spin-orbit interaction. So I expect that
2
P3/2 is populated.
c. Since  L = 0, ± 1, final levels can be S, P, D. Furthermore,  S = 0, then the final S is 1/2. Since J =
0, ±1, the S level (2S1/2) would give 2 lines, the P level (again 2P1/ 2, 3 /2) would give 4 lines and the level
D (2D3/2, 5/2) would give 3 lines. So the final state is 2D3/2, 5/2.
d. See diagram in the figure below. I expect that the state at higher energy separation has smaller spin-orbit
splitting.
e. For the Landé interval rule the separation in each doublet is equal to the spin-orbit constant multiplied
by the quantum number J of the upper level. From this the calculations indicated in the figure will
follow.
2)
a. See the diagram. Note that in the absence of field the states 2s1/2 and 2p1/2 are degenerate. In the
presence of field the splitting is different for the two states, having different gj (2 and 2/3, respectively).
Given the geometry, in absorption only mj = 0 applies, since the radiation is polarized along z 
transitions). Then 4 lines are observed.
b. In emission 6 lines are observed: I can only start from levels previously populated. Moreover, now
mj = ± 1, since the radiation propagates along z and then it is polarized in the xy plane. Finally, I can
also have transitions from 2p3/2 to 2s1/2. (I might have also transitions from 2p1/2 to 2s1/2 although less
likely because of extremely low energy. In this case transition from mj = +1/2 of the 2p1/2 to mj = -1/2 of
the 2s1/2 would be seen).
c. See the diagram. Bold lines are for transitions actually observed: 4 in absorption and 6 (total) in
emission. The two low energy transitions (from 2p3/2 to 2s1/2) are a replica of the two at higher energy
(from 2p3/2 to 1s1/2).