First Observation of the Blue Optical Lines of Francium

We report here the first wave-length measurements in the second resonance doublet of francium, D1'(7s2S1/2-8p2P 1/2) and D2'(7s2S1/2-8p2P 3/2), carried out by collinear fast-beam laser spectroscopy. The transition wave numbers are D1' = 23112.9603(50) cm-1 and D2' = 23658.3058(40) cm-1, corresponding to a 8p fine-structure splitting of δW8p = 545.3454(70) cm-1. In addition the hyperfine structure in both lines and the isotope shift in the D2' line for the isotopes 212,213,220,221Fr have been measured. The results are discussed with special emphasis on the analysis of the atomic structure in the heaviest alkali element and compared with theoretical predictions, as well as the only earlier spectroscopic data on francium obtained in the first resonance doublet.