Absolute frequency measurements of the 2(3)S1-->2(3)P 0,1,2 atomic helium transitions around 1083 nm

We measure the frequency of the 2(3)S1-->2(3)P(0,1,2) transitions of helium in a metastable beam using an optical frequency comb synthesizer. The relative uncertainty of these measurements ranging from 5x10(-11) to 7x10(-12) is, to our knowledge, the most precise result for any optical helium transition. Considering existing accurate values of the 2(3)P fine structure, we measure a centroid value of the 2(3)S-2(3)P frequency of 276 736 495 624.6(2.4) kHz, improving the previous interferometric measurement by 30 times. New accurate values of the 2(3)S-2(3)P and 2(3)P Lamb-shift energies are obtained.     

Experimental determination of the helium 2(3)P(1)-1(1)S0 transition rate

We present the first experimental determination of the 2(3)P(1)-1(1)S0 transition rate in helium and compare this measurement with theoretical quantum-electrodynamic predictions. The experiment exploits the very long (approximately 1 minute) confinement times obtained for atoms magneto-optically trapped in an apparatus used to create a Bose-Einstein condensate of metastable (2(3)S1) helium. The 2(3)P(1)-1(1)S0 transition rate is measured directly from the decay rate of the cold atomic cloud following 1083 nm laser excitation from the 2(3)S1 to the 2(3)P1 state, and from accurate knowledge of the 2(3)P1 population. The value obtained is 177+/-8 s(-1), which agrees very well with theoretical predictions, and has an accuracy that compares favorably with measurements for the same transition in heliumlike ions higher in the isoelectronic sequence.     

Precise measurement of the 23P0−23P2 fine structure interval in helium

A measurement of the 2³P₀?2³P₂ fine structure interval in the helium has beeen made using the optical microwave atomic beam magnetic resonance technique. The result is 31.908 040 (20) GHz (0.6ppm), which establishes an internal consistency in measurements of the helium fine structure and verifies the theory to order α⁴Ry. When the theory is used together wit our experimental result we obtain a value for the fine structure constant α by α^-1=137.03613(11) (0.8 ppm).     

Cs-He混合蒸气中的辐射陷获效应和6P3／2能级有效辐射率的测量

测量了Cs-He混合蒸气中Cs(6P3/2)共振能级的有效辐射率,圆柱形样品池充入金属Cs和气压PHe为0~500Pa的He,样品池温度控制在330~370K之间,在池中产生1012~1013cm-3的Cs原子密度,使用单模半导体激光器(泵浦激光)将Cs原子激发至6P3/2态,另一调谐到6P3/2→8S1/2的单模激光束(检测激光)与泵浦束反平行通过样品池,并在池的直径方向平行移动,通过对检测激光束的吸收测定了激发态原子密度及其空间分布。由于辐射陷获存在,有效辐射率是自然辐射率与透射因子(发射的光子在探测区域内没有被吸收的平均概率,它与吸收截面及激发态原子密度和空间分布有关)的乘积。由6P3/2原子密度及其空间分布结合6P3/2←6S1/2跃迁线的碰撞增宽计算了透射因子,从而得到了不同He气压下,CsD2线的有效辐射率。从6P3/26→S1/2跃迁线强度I852的测量,得到的不同He气压下有效辐射率的比值与理论计算得到的比值相符。     

低He气压下Rb(5P3/2)激发态有效辐射率的计算与测量

计算和测量了Rb-He混合蒸气中Rb(5P3/2)共振能级的有效辐射率,使用单模半导体激光器(泵浦激光)将Rb原子激发至5P3/2态,另一调谐到5P3/2→7S1/2的单模激光束(检测激光)与泵浦束反平行通过样品池,并在池的直径方向平行移动,通过对检测激光束的吸收测定了激发态原子密度及其空间分布.由于辐射陷获存在,有效辐射率是自然辐射率与透射因子(发射的光子在探测区域内没有被吸收的平均概率,它与吸收截面及激发态原子密度和空间分布有关)的乘积.5P3/2原子密度及其空间分布结合5P3/2←5S1/2跃迁线的碰撞增宽计算了透射因子,从而得到了不同He气压下,Rb D2线的有效辐射率.从5P3/2→5S1/2跃迁线强度I780的测量,得到的不同He气压下有效辐射率的比值与理论计算得到的比值相符.     

氦原子2~3S—2~3P精密光谱研究

氦原子是最基本的多电子原子,其精密谱是十分理想的检验多电子量子电动力学计算的平台,同时也是利用原子能级结构测定精细结构常数α的理想体系,还能获得原子核结构信息.本文结合我们团队的工作,综述基于氦原子的少体原子精密光谱研究.其中,主要包括氦原子2~3P_J精细结构分裂,以及2~3S—2~3P跃迁频率测定等研究,并对相关工作的前景进行了展望.     

Spectroscopy of the helium 2 3S–2 3P transition above 0.01 Tesla – application to optical pumping studies

Optical pumping of helium makes use of the 2 ³S–2 ³P transition at 1083 nm. We report on a study of this transition in magnetic fields up to 1.5 T. Based on these results, an optical method to measure nuclear polarisation in arbitrary field has been developed. Preliminary results on optical pumping at 0.1 T are presented. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

氦原子2 ~3P态的塞曼效应

在考虑各种相对论修正以及核运动修正和辐射修正的基础上,采用微扰与变分相结合的方法,给出了氦原子23P态塞曼效应之解析解     

Experimental study on the system of Cl/Cl_2/He/HN_3/I_2

Using a microwave generator, chlorine diluted by helium was dissociated to chlorine atoms that subsequently reacted with hydrogen azide to produce the excited states of NCl(a1△). Meanwhile, molecular iodine with carrier gas of helium reacted with atomic chlorine to produce atomic iodine which then was pumped to excited state of I(2P1/2) by an energy transfer reaction from NCl(a1△). In this paper, the changes of NCl(a1△) and NCl(b1∑) emission intensity is presented when I2/He is introduced into the stream of Cl/Cl2/He/HN3/NCl(a1△)/NCl(b1∑). The dependences of atomic iodine I(2P1/2) on flow rates of gases were also investigated. The optimum parameters for I(2P1/2) production are given.     

弛豫与关联效应对NII离子2s22p3s3P1—2s22p21D2与2s22p3s1P1—2s22p23P0,1,2自旋禁戒跃迁概率的影响

用多组态Dirac-Fock方法，并系统考虑相对论效应、电子关联、弛豫效应等重要贡献，计算了NII离子2s22p3s 3P1—2s22p21D2和2s22p3s 1P1—2s22p23P0,1,2自旋禁戒跃迁概率和振子强度-通过比较计算证实：弛豫和关联效应对禁戒跃迁概率的影响非常大，考虑了这些效应后，计算结果有显著的改善-由跃迁概率和振子强度的计算值推断，2s22p3s 3P1—2s22p21D2的谱线强度应该比原有的理论预言值小- 关键词： 跃迁概率 多组态Dirac-Fock方法     

Precise measurement of the J = 1 to J = 2 fine structure interval in the 2( 3)P state of helium

We measure the J = 1 to J = 2 fine structure interval in the ( 3)2P state of helium to be 2 291 175.9(1.0) kHz. We use laser excitation of an atomic beam along with an integrated electro-optic modulator technique to obtain this result. The result is consistent (2.9+/-3.2 kHz) with what could be considered an earlier version of this experiment but is not in good agreement ( 20+/-5 kHz and 22+/-8 kHz) with the two other precision determinations of this interval. The current theoretical prediction lies between and overlaps the experiments.     

Thermal-energy Pooling Collisions in Cesium Vapor6P3/2+6P3/2→7PJ+6S1/2

In this paper, the results of an experimental study on 6P3/2+6P3/2→7PJ+6S1/2 energy pooling collisions are presented. The experiment was carried out in cesium vapor using an external cavity diode laser for excitation under different temperatures. It is found that the response of fluorescence intensity to the frequency of excitation laser shows a two-peak phenomenon.     

Fine structure of the 1s3p 3PJ level in atomic 4He: theory and experiment

The fine structure intervals in helium have been the focus of many theoretical and experimental studies in recent years with most of them concentrating on the 1s2p (3)P(J) levels. Here, we report on a theoretical calculation and an experimental determination of the 1s2p (3)P(J) fine structure intervals. The values from the theoretical calculation are 8113.730(6) and 658.801(6) MHz for the nu(01) and nu(12) intervals, respectively. The laser spectroscopic measurement reported here yields 8113.714(28) and 658.810(18) MHz for these intervals and is in excellent agreement with the theoretical calculation. Both, however, disagree significantly with the previous most precise experimental results.     

Experimental determination of the lifetime for the 2p3d(1P0) helium doubly excited state

Two recent theoretical studies [C. Liu, Phys. Rev. A 64, 010501 (2001)]; M. Zitnik, ibid. 65, 032520 (2002)]] predict that the fluorescence lifetimes of helium doubly excited states converging to He+ N=2 should be longer than that of the He+ 2p ion state. This effect is caused by the electric field of the outer electron which, through Stark mixing, gives the inner fluorescing electron some series specific, stabilizing 2s character. We have obtained the first experimental evidence that confirms this effect by measuring the lifetime of the 2p3d(1P0) doubly excited state. This was determined to be 190+/-30 ps compared to 100 ps for the He+ 2p ion state. The measurements were performed using short pulses of synchrotron radiation to form doubly excited states and recording the arrival time of photons from fluorescence.     

Precision measurement of the three 2(3)P(J) helium fine structure intervals

The three 2(3)P fine structure intervals of 4H are measured at an improved accuracy that is sufficient to test two-electron QED theory and to determine the fine structure constant alpha to 14 parts in 10(9). The more accurate determination of alpha, to a precision higher than attained with the quantum Hall and Josephson effects, awaits the reconciliation of two inconsistent theoretical calculations now being compared term by term. A low pressure helium discharge presents experimental uncertainties quite different than for earlier measurements and allows direct measurements of light pressure shifts.     

Cs蒸气中的碰撞能量合并和6P3/2和6P1/2间的激发转移

通过激发转移和碰撞能量合并研究了Cs(62P)精细结构混合.单模半导体激光器激发基态Cs原子至6P3/2态,直接荧光是由6P3/2态发射的,敏化荧光是由精细结构碰撞转移和碰撞能量合并产生的.由相对荧光强度得到了转移截面σ(6P3/2→6P1/2)=(1.5±0.5)×10-15cm2,与其它实验结果进行了比较.     

NCl(a1Δ)/I（2P3/2）传能体系的实验研究

 利用微波放电Cl₂/He等离子体作为Cl源，对反应NCl(a¹Δ) + I(²P_3/2)→NCl(X³Σ) + I(²P_1/2)进行了实验研究，得到了较大的I(²P_1/2)自发辐射荧光信号，检测到NCl(a¹Δ，b¹Σ)自发辐射荧光光谱在存在少量I(²P_1/2)下发生的显著变化，其中NCl(a¹Δ)自发辐射荧光信号降低，同时由于I(²P_1/2)的作用，NCl(b¹Σ)自发辐射荧光信号大幅度增加。在考察各反应气体流量对I(²P_1/2)自发辐射荧光信号的影响时发现，在本次实验条件下，各种气体的最佳流量：He为1～4mmol/s, I₂为0.01～0.03mmol/s, Cl₂为1.0mmol/s左右,而HN₃流量略大于Cl₂流量时信号升高幅度开始变缓，约为Cl₂流量的两倍时信号不再有显著的变化。     

Laser spectroscopy of the 1s22s2p 3P2-3P1 transition in beryllium-like argon using the Oxford EBIT

A study of the 1s²2s2p ³P₂-³P₁ fine-structure transition in beryllium-like argon is planned on the Oxford electron beam ion trap (EBIT), using laser-induced resonance. This transition wavelength was measured previously as 594.373(4) nm, which is accessible using a dye laser. The ions are produced and excited in the EBIT and are confined during laser irradiation using the magnetic trapping mode. The ³P₂ level population is depleted by the laser and by subsequently monitoring the emitted fluorescence a laser resonance signal can be obtained. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

LiⅠ等电子序列[(1s2p)3P,4d]2P0及 [(1s2s)1S,5p]2P0自电离态的计算

利用鞍点复转动及全实加关联的方法,计算了LiⅠ等电子序列[(1s2p)3P,4d]2P0及[(1s2s)1S,5p]2P0自电离态的能量和宽度.计算结果中包括相对论修正和质量极化修正.文中讨论了自电离宽度随核电荷数Z的变化关系,同时也讨论了精细结构分裂值及相对论修正随核电荷数Z的变化关系.     

Near-Threshold Measurement of the Photoionization Cross-Section of the Lithium 2P3/2 State in a Magneto-Optical Trap

Journal of Russian Laser Research - We report a measurement of the photoionization cross-section of the lithium 2P3/2 state in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) by means of a single-frequency cw laser....