Radiative lifetimes in MoI using a novel atomic beam source

Radiative lifetimes of the 4d⁵ (a⁶S)5pz ⁷P^o levels and the 4d⁵ (a⁶S)5pz⁵P^o levels in MoI are reported as follows: $\text{τ(}\text{z}{}^7\text{P}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>O</mtext>}}\text{) = 15.9}\text{ns}$, $\text{τ(}\text{z}{}^7\text{P}{}_3{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>O</mtext>}}\text{) = 17.0}\text{ns}$, $\text{τ(}\text{z}{}^7\text{P}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>O</mtext>}}\text{) = 17.1}\text{ns}$, $\text{τ(}\text{z}{}^5\text{P}{}_3{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>O</mtext>}}\text{) = 22.3}\text{ns}$, $\text{τ(}\text{z}{}^5\text{P}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>O</mtext>}}\text{) = 22.1}\text{ns}$, and $\text{τ(}\text{z}{}^5\text{P}{}_1{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>O</mtext>}}\text{) = 21.7}\text{ns}$ (±5%). The lifetimes are measured using time resolved laser induced fluorescence and a novel atomic beam source. This novel hollow cathode effusive beam source produces an intense beam of ground state Mo atoms and metastable Mo atoms. Our measurements on the z ⁷P^O levels are in agreement with earlier lifetime measurements. Our measurements on the z ⁵P^O levels are the first direct radiative lifetime measurements of these levels; the z ⁵P^O measurements are of particular interest because the a⁵S → z⁵P^O multiplet is used to determine the solar abundance of Mo.