Ground-state splitting of S-state ion Cm3+ in LaCl3

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Abstract
We report optical‐spectroscopic studies of the ground‐state splitting of the nominal S‐state ion Cm3+ in LaCl3. A total splitting of 1.97±0.05 cm−1 for the 8S7/2ground state of this system has been measured for the first time. Both electric and magnetic dipole transitions were observed. Energy levels of all four Kramers doublets of the 8S7/2manifold were resolved by means of the site‐selective excitation and emission spectra of 8S7/2↔6D7/2 and 8S7/2↔6P5/2 transitions. Our results show that the lowest component of the ground manifold is a μ=5/2 state dominated by M=‖±7/2〉 in contrast to a previously reported μ=1/2 state. The crystal‐field model, established through analyzing optical spectra of the excited states, predicts a ground‐state splitting with the right ordering but greater magnitude. In comparison with the lanthanideS‐state ion Gd3+, much stronger spin–orbit coupling and reduced electrostatic interaction in concert with greater crystal field interaction significantly influence the characteristics of the ground state of the actinideS‐state ion. Contributions from within the 5f 7 configuration account for most of the observed splitting.