Experimental natural lifetime determination of the Ar(II) lower laser levels

The natural lifetimes of the (³P)4s²P_3/2,1/2 levels of the Ar(II) spectrum have been determined from the natural broadening of argon lines, measured with a Fabry—Pérot interferometer. The natural broadening was determined from the lines with wavelengths of 4880 and 4965 Å by comparing them with the lines at 4806 and 5009 Å having negligible natural broadening. The natural lifetime of the 4s²P_3/2 level appeared to be τ = 0.19 (±6%) ns and of the 4s²P_1/2 level τ = 0.18 (±15%) ns. These values are about 1.5 to 2 times as small as those determined by other authors either experimentally by using a Fabry—Pérot interferometer by the method of Ballik, or calculated using intermediate coupling.The differences between the two experimental methods are discussed.