Abstract: A substantially Doppler-free spectrum of an element in a sputtered vapor is obtained by generating the sputtered vapor of the sample in a sputtering cell containing a rare gas and obtaining a saturated absorption spectrum for the vapor. The vapor is sputtered from a cathode including the sample and the pressure of the rare gas in the sputtering cell and the chopping frequency of a laser pump beam employed to obtain the saturated absorption spectrum are selected to reduce the number of detected velocity changing collisions in the cell to substantially eliminate any background Doppler-broadened component from the saturated absorption spectrum which is thereby a substantially Doppler-free spectrum.

Abstract: An atomic spectral lamp of the type comprising a predominantly glass envelope in which are disposed spaced electrodes for producing an electrical discharge on application of a suitable potential difference thereto and a substance which, on being heated will yield a vapor of an element capable of emitting the resonance line or lines which characterize the lamp. In normal operation of the lamp, there exists between the anode and the cathode a temperature gradient effective to ensure that the vapor pressure of the elemental vapor adjacent the cathode is small relative to the vapor pressure of the elemental vapor in the vicinity of said substance. In another aspect, heating means is provided for heating the substance independently of the discharge to yield the elemental vapor within the envelope.