Fine-structure energy levels,oscillator strengths and lifetimes in Mg-like chromium

Excitation energies from ground state for 86 fine-structure levels as well as oscillator strengths and radiative decay rates for all fine-structure transitions among the levels of the terms (1s²2s²2p⁶)3s²(¹S), 3s3p(^1,3P^o), 3s3d(^1,3D), 3s4s(^1,3S), 3s4p(^1,3P^o), 3s4d(^1,3D), 3s4f(^1,3F^o), 3p²(¹S, ³P, ¹D), 3p3d(^1,3P^o, ^1,3D^o, ^1,3F^o), 3p4s(^1,3P^o), 3p4p(^1,3S, ^1,3P, ^1,3D), 3p4d(^1,3P^o, ^1,3D^o, ^1,3F^o), 3p4f(^1,3D, ^1,3F, ^1,3G) and 3d²(¹S, ³P, ¹D, ³F,¹G) of Cr XIII are calculated using extensive configuration-interaction (CI) wave functions obtained with the CIV3 computer code of Hibbert. The important relativistic effects in intermediate coupling are included through the Breit-Pauli approximation via spin-orbit, spin-other-orbit, spin-spin, Darwin and mass correction terms. Small adjustments to the diagonal elements of the Hamiltonian matrices have been made. The mixing among several fine-structure levels is found to be very strong. Our excitation energies, including their ordering, are in excellent agreement (better than 0.5%) with the available experimental results. From our transition probabilities, we have also calculated radiative lifetimes of some fine-structure levels. Our calculated lifetime for the longer-lived level 3s3p(³P₁) is found to be in excellent agreement with the experimental result of Curtis compared to other theoretical calculations.     

Fine-structure energy levels, oscillator strengths and lifetimes in Co XV

Excitation energies from ground state for 97 fine-structure levels as well as oscillator strengths and radiative decay rates for all electric-dipole-allowed and intercombination transitions among the fine-structure levels of the terms belonging to the (1s ²2s ²2p ⁶)3s ²3p, 3s ³ p ², 3s ²3d, 3p ³, 3s3p3d, 3p ²3d, 3s3d ², 3s ²4s, 3s ²4p, 3s ²4d, 3s ²4f, and 3s3p4s configurations of Co XV are calculated, using extensive configuration-interaction (CI) wave functions, obtained with the CIV3 computer code of Hibbert. The important relativistic effects in intermediate coupling are included through the Breit-Pauli approximation via spin-orbit, spin-other-orbit, spin-spin, Darwin and mass correction terms. Small adjustments to the diagonal elements of the Hamiltonian matrices have been made. Our calculated excitation energies, including their ordering, are in excellent agreement with the experimental results and the experimentally compiled energy values of the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) wherever available. The mixing among several fine-structure levels is found to be very strong, with most of the strongly mixed levels belonging to the (1s ²2s ²2p ⁶)3p ²3d and 3s3d ² configurations. The strong mixing among several fine-structure levels makes it very difficult to identify them uniquely. Perhaps, that may be the reason for the lack of both experimental and theoretical results for these levels. We believe that our extensive calculated values can guide experimentalists in identifying the fine-structure levels in their future work. From our radiative decay rates we have also calculated radiative lifetimes of some fine-structure levels. In this calculation we also predict new data for several fine-structure levels where no other theoretical and/or experimental results are available.     

Radiative lifetimes of Zr III excited levels

We report on radiative lifetimes of 4d5p excited states of Zr III produced in a laser produced plasma. The ions were populated either in the ground state or in metastable states, and the number of ions is strongly dependent on the application of an external magnetic field, which is shown to be very important when using the time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence technique for lifetime measurements in highly charged ions. The experimental lifetime results fall in the region 1–2 ns with statistical uncertainties less than 7%. The experimental values were compared with multi-configuration Hartree-Fock calculations showing an agreement within 12–20%. The experimental values are systematically higher than the theoretical ones.     

Theoretical overview of atomic parity violation

Recent advances in interpreting the most accurate-to-date measurement of atomic parity violation in Cs are reviewed. The inferred nuclear weak charge, Q _W( ^133Cs ) = - 72.65(28)_expt(36)_theor , agrees with the prediction of the standard model at 1σ level. Further improved interpretation is limited by an accuracy of solving the basic correlation problem of the atomic structure. We report on our progress in solving this problem within the relativistic coupled-cluster formalism. We include single, double and triple electronic excitations in the coupled-cluster expansion. Numerical results for energies, electric-dipole matrix elements, and hyperfine-structure constants of Cs are presented.     

Lifetime measurements for some levels in Be-like Cl XIV and S XIII

Lifetime measurements have been carried out for some low lying (n = 2) levels in the four-electron ions Cl XIV and S XIII using the beam-foil technique. Accurate oscillator strengths for the 2 s2 ¹ S - 2 s 2 p ¹ P o transition have been determined by the inclusion of prominent cascades in the analysis. Lifetimes of the levels of the 2 p2 ³ P j multiplet have also been measured for both ions. The results are compared with theoretical predictions and earlier measurements. Received: 29 October 1997 / Revised: 10 February 1998 / Accepted: 5 March 1998     

Radiative lifetimes of 7d, 8d <Superscript>1</Superscript>D<Subscript>2</Subscript> excited states of Hg I

Radiative lifetimes of 7d, 8d ¹ D ₂ excited states of Hg I are measured using pulsed two-photon excitation from the ground [Xe]5d ¹⁰6s ^{2 1} S ₀ mercury state, detecting the decay of the laser-induced fluorescence. The results are compared with theoretical values, obtained by means of a Hartree-Fock single configuration method, taking into account electron configuration interaction. The radiative lifetime value dependence on the effective principal quantum number for the nd ¹ D ₂ series is analyzed and compared with the quantum defect dependence. Received 25 February 2000 and Received in final form 26 July 2000     

Spectra for electric-dipole Δn = 0 transitions in highly ionized sulfur ions

Spectra for Δn = 0 transitions of the type 2s²2p^k-2s2p^k+1 or 2s2p^k-2p^k+1 from highly ionized sulfur produced in beam-foil excitation are investigated and compared to similar spectra measured with other types of light sources. In the experiment, fifty lines have been identified, of which eleven lines are new and accurately measured. Analysis of spectra was based on comparisons with other experimental results and calculated values.     

Determination of radiative lifetimes of neutral sulphur by time-resolved three-photon VUV laser spectroscopy

Radiative lifetimes of the highly exited states s and d of neutral sulphur have been measured using time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence. The sulphur atoms were generated in a laser-produced plasma. The investigated states were populated through a two-step process involving a two-photon excitation to the lowest excited triplet state of even parity , followed by a one-photon excitation to the investigated state. We obtained ns and ns. These values are much longer than theoretically predicted ones and much shorter than those indirectely inferred from astronomical data. Received: 9 February 1998 / Accepted: 24 February 1998     

Theoretical study of the 5p56s – 5p6 spectra of neutral xenon

Recent high precision measurements on the lifetime of the metastable 6s[3/2]₂ state of atomic xenon display a difference with previous predictions by a factor of 2–3. In the present work, a systematic relaxation and correlation approach, which has been developed on the basis of a widely used multi-configuration Dirac-Fock method, is applied to study the electric dipole allowed E1 and forbidden M1, E2 and M2 transitions between the 5p⁵ 6s and 5p⁶ configurations. We systematically include the correlation effects which arise from all the single and double excitations from the occupied shells into the (n=6–10) active sets and the relaxation effects caused by change of the electron density between the radiative initial- and final-states. This study not only reduces greatly the existing discrepancy in the lifetime of the 6s[3/2]₂ state, but also presents rather consistent results for both the lifetime of the metastable 6s'[1/2]₀ state and the oscillator strength of the 5p⁵ 6s - 5p⁶ E1 resonant transitions.     

Experimental and theoretical lifetimes in Yb III

Lifetimes of three levels belonging to the configuration 4f ¹³5d with J = 1 in Yb III have been measured for the first time using the time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence method. Experimental transition probabilities have been deduced for the transitions between the levels studied and the ground state. The comparison of the experimental lifetimes with theoretical data, deduced within the relativistic Hartree-Fock (HFR) approach, underlines the dramatic importance of an adequate consideration of core-polarization effects in the theoretical model and the sensitivity of one of the lifetime values to small correlation effects. Received 2 April 2001     

Radiative lifetimes in Ce I and Ce II

New radiative lifetime measurements based on time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence techniques are reported for 18 even-parity levels belonging to the 4f5d^26p and 4f ²5d ² configurations of Ce I and 6 even-parity levels belonging to the 5d^26s, 4f5d6p, and 4f6s6p configurations of Ce II. Free neutral and singly ionized cerium atoms were produced by laser ablation. The Ce I and Ce II levels range in energy from 26 545 to 29 102 cm^-1, and 42 573 to 48 152 cm^-1, respectively. Received 25 September 2002 Published online 4 March 2003     

Lifetime measurements of some levels belonging to the 3p <Emphasis Type="Bold">5</Emphasis>nd ( , 5, 6, 7) configuration of ArI

Lifetimes of some 3p^5nd (n = 4, 5, 6, 7) levels of neutral argon have been measured by high frequency deflection technique with a delayed coincidence single photon counting arrangement. The measurements have been performed under conditions where pressure dependent effects are negligible. Lifetimes of some of the levels have been measured for the first time. The results have been compared with other experimental and theoretical values. Received 7 August 2002 / Received in final form 20 December 2002 Published online 24 April 2003     

Polarizabilities and hyperfine structure constants of the low-lying levels of barium

The results of ab initio calculation of energies, hyperfine structure constants and static polarizabilities for several low-lying levels of barium are reported. The effective Hamiltonian for the valence electrons has been constructed in the frame of CI+MBPT method and solutions of many electron equation were found. Using the wave functions obtained the hyperfine structure constants and static polarizabilities were calculated. Received: 22 June 1998 / Revised: 2 September 1998 / Accepted: 15 September 1998     

The excitation energies,ionization potentials and oscillator strengths of neutral and ionized species of Uub (Z = 112) and the homologue elements Zn,Cd and Hg

Multi-configuration Dirac-Fock method (MCDF) is employed to calculate excitation energies, ionization potentials and oscillator strengths for all neutral and up to 5 times ionized species of element Uub, as well as the homologue elements Zn, Cd and Hg. On the basis of not too extended MCDF calculations, we studied some peculiar properties of element Uub resulting from its stronger relativistic and electron correlation effects. Using an extrapolative scheme, improved ionization potentials of Uub were obtained with an uncertainty of less than 0.5 eV. Furthermore, we calculated the low-lying resonance excitation energies, absorption oscillator strengths and the first ionization potential for Hg and Uub using large scale MCDF calculations, which improved the uncertainty of the excitation energies to less than 0.25 eV for element Hg. We hope that such calculations yield good results for element Uub.     

Radiative corrections to the magnetic-dipole transition amplitude in B-like ions

The one-electron quantum-electrodynamic corrections to the magnetic-dipole transition amplitude between the fine-structure levels (1s² 2s² 2p) ²P_3/2 - ²P_1/2 in boronlike ions are calculated to all orders in αZ. The results obtained serve for improving the theoretical accuracy of the lifetime of the (1s² 2s² 2p) ²P_3/2 level in boronlike argon.     

Isotope shifts and hyperfine structure in the transitions in calcium II

The isotope shift and hyperfine structure in the three - transitions in Ca II have been studied by fast ion beam collinear laser spectroscopy for all stable Ca isotopes. The metastable 3d states were populated within the surface ionization source of a mass separator with a probability of about 0.1%. After resonant excitation to the 4p levels with diode laser light around 850 nm the uv photons from the transitions to the ground state were used for detection. Hyperfine structure parameters A and B for the odd isotope ⁴³Ca, as evaluated from the splittings observed, agree well with theoretical predictions from relativistic many-body perturbation theory. Field shift constants and specific mass shift constants were extracted from the measured isotope shifts and are discussed in comparison with expectation values from theory. Received: 19 September 1997 / Revised: 5 December 1997 / Accepted: 27 January 1998     

Lifetime measurements in Tm I,Tm II,and Tm III by time-resolved laser spectroscopy

Natural radiative lifetimes of eight levels in Tm I ( 4f ¹³5d6p and 4f ¹²5d6s ² configurations), two levels in Tm II ( 4f ¹²5d6s configuration) and three levels in Tm III (4f ¹²5d configuration) have been measured by using time-resolved laser spectroscopy. Free thulium atoms, as well as singly and doubly ionized ions, were obtained in a laser-induced thulium plasma and the investigated states were selectively populated by a single-step excitation process with a tunable narrow-band laser pulse. Received 20 August 2002 / Received in final form 7 January 2003 Published online 4 March 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: huailiang.xu@fysik.lth.se     

Isotope shifts and hyperfine structure in the transitions of gadolinium

High-resolution resonance ionization mass spectrometry has been used to measure isotope shifts and hyperfine structure in all (J = 2-6) and the transitions of gadolinium (Gd I). Gadolinium atoms in an atomic beam were excited with a tunable single-frequency laser in the wavelength range of 422-429 nm. Resonant excitation was followed by photoionization with the 363.8 nm line of an argon ion laser and resulting ions were mass separated and detected with a quadrupole mass spectrometer. Isotope shifts for all stable gadolinium isotopes in these transitions have been measured for the first time. Additionally, the hyperfine structure constants of the upper states have been derived for the isotopes ^{155, 157} Gd and are compared with previous work. Using prior experimental values for the mean nuclear charge radii, derived from the combination of muonic atoms and electron scattering data, field shift and specific mass shift coefficients for the investigated transitions have been determined and nuclear charge parameters for the minor isotopes ^{152, 154} Gd have been calculated. Received 18 November 1999     

Fine-structure quenching and multiplet distortion in a screened Coulomb atom

Theoretical results presented in this paper reflect that the relativistic fine-structure due to the mass-velocity, spin-orbit and Darwin terms is sensitive to the screening strength parameter in an exponential screened Coulomb hydrogen atom, that is sometimes used to model a plasma-embedded atom. With stronger screening the fine-structure correction undergoes a gradual suppression in magnitude, but contributes to the total binding energy in an increasing proportion, indicating that the relativistic contribution to binding may become quite significant in the ultra-low binding regime under large screening strength. In the presence of screening the l-independence of the fine-structure correction as predicted by the Dirac theory progressively disappears, and a departure from the Z⁴-scaling law of the correction occurs along the H-isoelectronic sequence of ions - both the effects become accentuated with growing screening strength. In conjunction with screening-induced removal of the Coulomb degeneracy of non-relativistic levels, these result in a deformed multiplet structure for the screened Coulomb atom. Received 31 May 1999 and Received in final form 20 September 1999     

The theoretical calculation of transition probabilities for some excited p-d transitions in atomic nitrogen

The atomic transition probabilities are calculated for individual lines between some quartet terms of 3p↦4d and 3p↦5d transition arrays using weakest bound electron potential model theory (WBEPMT). In the determination of relevant parameters which are needed for calculation of transition probabilities, we employed numerical non-relativistic Hartree-Fock wave functions for expectation values of radius in both ground and excited states unlike to NCA method used on traditional WBEPMT procedure. We have obtained very good agreement between our results and the accepted values taken from NIST.