Etude par absorption d'un faisceau laser d' une vapeur d' (238)U ((5)L(0)(6)) obtenue à l' aide d'une lampe à cathode creuse.

The density of U atoms in the (5)L(0)(6) ground state present in a vapor of this element from a hollow cathode lamp has been measured using laser absorption spectroscopy. The influence of the carrier gases (Ar, Kr, Xe) on the density, the absorption coefficient profiles, and on the ratio of U atoms to the dissipated electrical power has been investigated. It has been found that, in our range of operating conditions, the xenon gas is the most efficient. With xenon, a density of 2.2 x 10(12) cm(-3) ground-state U atoms is obtained when the lamp dissipates 40 W of electrical power.