Early Onset Of Ground State Deformation In Neutron Deficient Polonium Isotopes

In-source resonant ionization laser spectroscopy of the even-A polonium isotopes Po-192-210,Po-216,Po-218 has been performed using the 6p(3)7s S-5(2) to (6)p(3)7p P-5(2) (lambda = 843.38 nm) transition in the polonium atom (Po-I) at the CERN ISOLDE facility. The comparison of the measured isotope shifts in Po200-210 with a previous data set allows us to test for the first time recent large-scale atomic calculations that are essential to extract the changes in the mean-square charge radius of the atomic nucleus. When going to lighter masses, a surprisingly large and early departure from sphericity is observed, which is only partly reproduced by beyond mean field calculations.