atomic-beam resonance

atomic-beam resonance

[ə′täm·ik ¦bēm ‚rez·ən·əns]

(physics)

Phenomenon in which an oscillating magnetic field, superimposed on a uniform magnetic field at right angles to it, causes transitions between states with different magnetic quantum numbers of the nuclei of atoms in a beam passing through the field; the transitions occur only when the frequency of the oscillating field assumes certain characteristic values.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.