High resolution spectroscopy of prompt and metastable decaying levels in highly ionized argon,especially of the metastable3 P 2-state of Ar16+ and the4 P 5/2-state of Ar15+

Besides the prompt x-ray emission of Ar-ions, the metastable decay of the heliumlike³ P ₂- and the lithiumlike⁴ P _5/2-levels of highly ionized Ar¹⁶⁺ and Ar¹⁵⁺ atoms has been observed in a foil-excited beam using a flat-crystal spectrometer. Due to the highx-ray energy resolution of the spectrometer the two³ P ₂ →¹ S ₀ and⁴ P _5/2 →² S _1/2 transitions could be resolved. The experiment yielded (3128 ±2) eV for the³P₂ → and (3091 ± 2)eV for the⁴ P _5/2 →² S _1/2 transition energy respectively. Using a time of flight technique the lifetimes of the³ P ₂- and the⁴ P _5/2-states were determined to be (1.44 ±0.09)ns and (0.66 ± 0.05) ns.     

Measurement of the lifetime of the3 P 2 and4 P 5/2 states in Ar16+ and Ar15+

Promptly decaying levels in Li- and Be-like Ar could be identified in the delayed x-ray and electron spectrum in addition to the four known metastable (1s2s)¹ S ₀, (1s2s)³ S ₁, (1s2p)³ P ₂, and (1s2s2p)⁴ P _5/2 states in He- and Li-like systems. The states having lifetimes of about 10^?14s still contribute to the spectrum observed 10^?9s after the ions have passed a foil. This observation is explained by cascading processes from states of high principal quantum numbern≧14. The measured lifetime of the⁴ P _5/2 state subtracting the contribution of cascades is (0.594±0.016) ns and slightly larger than the theoretically predicted value of 0.563 ns. The³ P ₂ state is depopulated at short distances behind the foil by cascading processes. Its measured lifetime of (1.44±0.08) ns compares to a theoretical value of 1.48 ns.     

Lamb-shift measurement in hydrogenlike Sulfur

The 2S _1/2-2P ^1/2 Lamb-shift in hydrogenlike Sulfur was measured with a field quench technique. A high velocity beam of S¹⁵⁺-ions (v/c=0.086) prepared in the metastable 2S _1/2 state crosses a homogeneous magnetic field of about 1.8 Tesla. The strong electric field of 4·10⁷ V/m in the rest frame of the ions mixes the longlived 2S _1/2-state (τ=7.18 nsec) with the short lived 2P _1/2-state (τ=2.4·10^?5 ns). From the measured lifetime of the thus quenched 2S _1/2-state a Lamb-shift value of 25.14±0.24 THz is derived and compared with theoretical predictions.     

Relative photodissociation cross-section of NaCs molecule,using argon ion laser lines

Laser-induced photodissociation of NaCs molecule has been observed when a mixture of Na and Cs metal vapour in a glass cell was irradiated by most of the lines of an argon ion laser. The photodissociation results in the 3P state of Na atoms which is correlated with theF ¹Σ⁺ and G¹π molecular states of NaCs. Distribution of photofragments over fine structure components 3² P _3/2 and 3² P _1/2 of Na has been studied. The ratio of intensity ofD ₂ line (5890 Å) toD ₁ line (5896 Å) of Na varies from around 2 at 5145 Å to about 3.5 at 4579 Å. The relative photodissociation cross-section increases monotonically as the wave-length of laser light decreases from 5145 Å to 4579 Å. It is seen that the 4579 Å photon is about 200 times more effective than the 5145 Å photon in causing the photoreaction NaCs + (Ar⁺ photon) → Na*(3P) + Cs(6S).     

Radiation improsonment of the 1s4 resonance line in xenon

The decay of the imprisoned 1s₄ → ¹S₀ resonance radiation has been measured with an absorption method. A natural lifetime τ = 4.3 ± 0.5 ns is obtained for the 1s₄ resonance state in xenon. No evidence was found for the high collisional de-excitation measured by other authors [1].     

Bestimmung der Lebensdauer des 3P-Zustands von ionisiertem Helium aus der Linienbreite von Hochfrequenzübergängen

The dependence of the half-widths of 3S _1/2(m=?1/2)?3P _1/2(m=?1/2)-transition signals in ionized helium on rf power has been measured. By linear extrapolation of the squared half-widths towards zero power, a value of τ_3P =(0.324±0.011) nsec for the lifetime of the 3P-state has been deduced (theoretical value 0.329 nsec).     

Measured lifetimes in mercury using the photon-photon delayed coincidence technique

The photon-photon delayed coincidence technique has been used to measure the 6³P₁, 7³S₁, and 7¹S₀ level lifetimes in mercury atoms. The measured mean lifetimes are 6³P₁(116±5) ns, 7³S₁(7.7±0.4) ns and 7¹S₀(30.5±4.3) ns, respectively.     

Observation and analysis ofE mesons in\bar p p annihilation at rest in H2 gas

Antiproton-proton annihilation at rest in a gaseous H₂ target at NTP into the final state π⁺ π^? K ^± π^? (K ⁰) with an undetectedK ⁰ or \(\bar K^0 \) has been investigated. We observe theE(1420) resonance in the invariant mass spectrum (K ⁰)_miss K ^± π^? with massM _E =1413±8 MeV/c² and widthГ ^E =62 ± 16MeV/c² and find evidence for the production of thef ₁(1285). The absolute branching ratio of \(\bar p\) p → π⁺ π^? E ⁰,E ⁰ →K ₀ ^L K ^± π ^? at (61±6)%P wave annihilation is (3.0±0.9)·10^?4 of all annihilations. The observed suppression of theE production fromP wave with respect to theS wave together with some simple selection rules suggest that the quantum numbers of theE(1420) areJ ^pc=0^?+ and not I⁺⁺.     

Die Hyperfeinstruktur des angeregten 32P3/2-Zustandes von Natrium

The hyperfine structure of the 3²P_3/2-state in the Na(I)-spektrum was investigated by optical double resonance. Three zero fieldrf-transitions (ΔF=±1, Δm_F=0) were detected and thus the unambiguous interpretation of therf-spectrum was made possible. From an analysis of therf-spectrum one obtains the magnetic hyperfine structure splitting constant a=(18.5 _?0.2 ^+0.6 ) Mc/sec the electric quadrupole interaction constantb=(3.2±0.5) Mc/sec which yields an electric quadrupole moment Q(Na²³)=(0.138±0.025)·10²⁴cm².     

Decay properties of the 19/2− isomers in113,117Sb

By means of the generalized centroid-shift method, the following half-lives were determined:T _1/2(3045 keV)=3.7±0.3 ns in¹¹³Sb using the reaction¹⁰⁴Pd(¹²C,p2n) as well asT _1/2 (1322.8 keV)=3.5±0.3 ns,T _1/2(2779.8 keV) =0.50±0.15ns,T _1/2(2874.9 keV)<0.2 ns andT _1/2(3072.9 keV)<0.1 ns in¹¹⁷Sb using the¹¹⁶In(α, 2n) reaction. Three-quasiparticle configurations of the type πd _5/2ν(h_11/2 d _3/2) in^113,117Sb are found to dominate in the wave functions of the 19/2^? states at 3045 and 2780 keV in¹¹³Sb and¹¹⁷Sb, respectively. TheB(E2, 19/2^? → 15/2^?) values in^113–119Sb are discussed.     

Half-life measurements of intrinsic states in deformed odd-mass nuclei

The half-lives of the following intrinsic states in deformed odd-mass nuclei has been measured by delayed coincidences with a time-to-amplitude converter:

1. 5/2 5/2⁺[642] at 86.5 keV in¹⁵⁵Gd:T _1/2=6.7±0.3 ns, which results in the determination of theE1,ΔK=1 transition probability to the ground state 3/2 3/2^?[521] and first rotational state 5/2 3/2^?[521], yielding hindrance factors ofF _N ≈5.5 and ≈1.8 (F _W =3.1×10⁴ and 2.3×10⁴) respectively.
2. (3) 5/2 5/2^?[512] at 191.4 keV in¹⁶⁹Yb:T _1/2=3.35±0.15 ns and at 122.39 keV in¹⁷¹Yb:T _1/2=265±20 ns which results in the determination of the transition probabilities of theE1,ΔK=1 transitions to the ground states 7/2 7/2⁺[633], of theK-forbiddenM1 transitions to the 5/2 and 3/2 1/2^?[521] and of theE2 transitions to the 5/2, 3/2 and 1/2 1/2^?[521] states in both nuclei.

TheE1 transition probabilities are compared to the transitions between the same Nilsson states in¹⁷³Yb and¹⁷⁵Hf discussing the influence of the position of the Fermi surface — obtained from recent stripping and pick-up reactions — on these transition probabilities. Additional information on the decay scheme of¹⁷¹Lu→¹⁷¹Yb is obtained by delayed coincidence measurements. For testing the used time-to-amplitude converter the well known half-lives of the 482 keV level in¹⁸¹Ta (T _1/2=10.4±0.3 ns) and of the 279 keV level in²⁰³Tl (T _1/2=0.285 ±0.015 ns) were measured, in good agreement with other measurements.     

Measurement of the lifetime and quenching rate of metastable 2S muonic helium ions

The lifetime of the 2S state in (μ^?4He)⁺ ions has been measured at He-gas pressures between 50 Torr and 6 atm (T=300 K). We observed both X-rays from the two-photon 2S→1S transitions as well as delayed K_α X-rays associated with radiative quenching. The quenching rate is strongly pressure dependent; it is predominantly a quadratic function of pressure with a measured three-body rate coefficient k=(5.9±0.8)×10^?32cm⁶/s. At 6 atm, we find τ_2S<250 ns because of the absence of two-photon transitions.     

Experimental investigation of excitation of argon metastables by an electron swarm in argon nitrogen gas mixtures

Excitation of argon metastable levels (4³ P ₂+4³ P ₀) in a nonselfsustained discharge in Ar(≧99%)+N₂(≦1%) gas mixtures has been investigated by measuring N₂ second positive group which is the result of excitation transfer from Ar metastables to N₂ molecules. The method is based on the assumption, experimentally verified, that addition of small quantities of N₂ do not change markedly the probability of Ar excitation. The obtained excitation coefficients for production of Ar ^m in theE/N range (20–70)×10^?21Vm² are (3.5–13)×10^?22m² with an estimated uncertainty of ±50%. Simultaneously, excitation coefficients for direct excitation of nitrogenC-state by swarm electrons in Ar-N₂ mixtures have been obtained. A comparison of nitrogen spectra excited by electrons and by argon metastables showed significant differences in relative population of vibrational and rotational levels of the N₂(C ³ Π _U state in these two cases.     

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.     

Optical detected ESR in the4 S 3/2 excited state of Er:YCl3

The electron spin resonance in the⁴ S _3/2 excited state of Er³⁺ in yttrium trichloride was studied by optical detection techniques. From angular dependence of the resonance field the principle value of theg-tensor in direction of the twofold crystal axis was deduced to beg∥=3.350±0.004 and the perpendicular valueg⊥ in the crystallographica-b-plane was extrapolated to beg⊥=2.857±0.004. The lifetime of the excited state is found to be temperature independent with τ _r =(1.62±0.02)·10^?3 sec and the spin lattice relaxation timeT ₁ was determined in the temperature region 1.5 to 2.1 °K by observing the recovery of the fluorescent light signal after a microwave saturation pulse was switched off.T ₁ is found to follow a direct process with \(T_1^{ - 1} = k \cdot cth\left( {\frac{{\rlap{--} h\omega }}{{2kT}}} \right)\) .     

Messung der mittleren Lebensdauern des 748 keV- und des 776 keV-Niveaus in51Cr

Using theγ-radiation of 748 and 28 keV the half-lives of the first two excited states in⁵¹Cr at 748 and 776 keV have been measured by a pulsed beam technique. The interesting states were populated by the reaction⁵¹V(p, nγ)⁵¹Cr at 4 MeV proton energy. The half-lives were found to beT _1/2(⁵¹Cr, 748 keV)=(7.35±0.03) ns andT _1/2(⁵¹Cr, 776 keV)=(5.53±0.07) ns. The influence of the 28 keV transition between the two levels upon the lifetime of the 748 keV state has been investigated. The 776 keV-state populates the 748 keV state only by 8.4%. The lifetime of the 776 keV state, therefore, cannot account for the anomalous long lifetime of the level at 748 keV as has been proposed by Bartholomew et al.     

Direct measurement of the transfer rate pμ+Ar → p+Arμ at high gas pressure

The transfer rate pμ + Ar → p + Arμ has been directly measured in H₂ gas of 600 atm with 2.03 × 10^3&#x0304; at. % Ar at room temperature using delayed coincidence techniques. The transfer rate reduced to an Ar concentration (atoms per unit volume) corresponding to that of liquid hydrogen was found to be (9.8 ± 1.5) × 10¹¹s^?1, which is considerably higher than previous results obtained at lower pressure.     

Level-crossing-Experiment am 6s6p 3 P 1-Term im Ba I-Spektrum

The hfs-splitting of the stable odd Ba-isotopes Ba¹³⁵ and Ba¹³⁷ (I=3/2) in the 6s6p ³ P ₁-state was investigated by level crossing techniques. For both isotopes two crossings between Zeeman-sublevels withδm _F=2 were detected by resonance scattering of the 7911 å-intercombination line using a Ba-atomic beam. From the experimental results ratios of zero field hfs-constants and theg _J-value of the³ P ₁-state were calculated including second order corrections. The results may be compared with double resonance measurements in zero magnetic field.     

Untersuchung der Hyperfeinstruktur des 62 P 1/2-Zustandes von133Cs im starken Magnetfeld mit der optischen Doppelresonanzmethode

The hyperfine structure of the 6² P _1/2-state of¹³³Cs has been measured by optical double resonance in a strong magnetic field. From the positions of the magnetic dipole transitionsδm _J =±1,δm _I =0 theg _J -factorg _J(6² P _1/2)=0.66590(9) and the magnetic hfs-coupling constanta(6² P _1/2)=291.90(12) MHz could be derived.     

Effect of cascading of higher-lying states on a delayed 1s-2p transition after beam-foil excitation of 56 MeV hydrogen-like oxygen and fluorine

The delayed fluorescence of the soft X-ray (1s-2p) transition was observed for H-like ions (O⁷⁺ and F⁸⁺) between 1.3 ns and 20 ns decay time after beam-foil excitation. The delayed X-ray fluorescence was found to decay with at ^Δ power law time dependence. The non-exponential decay is attributed to cascading through higher lying states. We found thatΔ ₀=1.40±0.08 andΔ _F =1.44±0.02 for H-like oxygen and fluorine, respectively. Present results are in fair agreement with the previously reported exponent,Δ ₀=1.5, measured over 3 ns after excitation.