X-rays from radiative electron capture of highly-charged heavy ions in an electron cooler

The x-ray spectra induced by spontaneous capture of free cooling electrons into bare and hydrogenlike heavy ions have been observed. Au⁷⁸⁺, Au⁷⁹⁺ and U⁹¹⁺ ions were stored in the storage ring ESR at velocities between 60% and 65% of the velocity of light and the x rays were measured in coincidence with stored particles having captured one electron in the electron cooler. The lines observed can be attributed to the direct transition of cooling electrons into theK shell of the projectile and to the characteristicL K transitions. The latter are mainly induced by capture into higher shells and subsequent cascade transitions. The measurements are compared to detailed calculations within the framework of presently available theories. Although the relative structure of the measured spectra is in fair agreement with the theoretical prediction, the total charge-changing rate in the electron cooler is about a factor of three smaller than expected.     

The influence of momentum diffusion on laser cooling of atoms

We show that laser cooling by coherent population trapping in case of zero radiation force — when atomic evolution is due to only momentum diffusion — can be effectively described by use of the Fokker-Planck equation for the atomic distribution function. Our quasiclassical approach allows numerically and analytically to investigate the dynamics and the efficiency of the cooling process. It is shown that both the evolution of the momentum distribution and the limit of the cooling are determined by the degree of incompleteness of coherent population trapping.     

The measurements ofn 2D levels and fine structure intervals of cesium

The transitions ofn ² D6² S,F=4, of the cesium atom are studied by Doppler-free two-photon spectroscopy combined with a thermionic diode detector. Progress in overcoming the influence of single-photon background of the molecular Cs₂, the levels and fine structure intervals ofn ² D withn=54–70 are obtained.This work was supported by the NSFC (No. 1880757)     

Formation of negative ions by electron impact on SiF4 and CF4

First measurements of cross sections for the formation of negative ions by electron attachment to SiF₄ and CF₄ are reported for an electron impact energy range of 0 to 50 eV. The energies at which the various ions appear and the positions at which the ionization efficiency curves peak have been obtained and compared with previous measurements. Thermochemical data have been used to predict and identify the various channels of dissociation. Cross sections for the production of ion pairs through the process of polar dissociation have also been measured.Visiting fellow, on leave of absence from Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Departamento de Quimica, 13560, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil     

Measurement of the ground-state lambshift of hydrogenlike uranium at the electron cooler of the ESR

X-rays are emitted with the radiative recombination of free electrons in an electron cooler of a heavyion storage ring. Due to a small width of the X-ray lines, an observation angle close to 0° and an accurate determination of the ion velocity, the ground-state Lambshift of hydrogenlike uranium (470 ± 16) eV could be measured to an accuracy of 3.4%. A re-evaluation of a measurement of the 1s _1/2 Lambshift in hydrogenlike gold gave a new value of (202.3 ± 7.9) eV as compared to the former value of (212 ± 15) eV. The results are in excellent agreement with QED calculations and are more precise than any other measurements previously reported for a high-Z, hydrogenlike ion.     

Relativistic oscillator strengths for transitions in the principal spectral series of the silver isoelectronic sequence

In a very recent paper [1] we have reported oscillator strengths for fine structure transitions between levels belonging to the diffuse and sharp spectral series in the silver isoelectronic sequence. The calculations were performed with the quantum defect orbital method in both their non-relativistic (QDO) and relativistic (RQDO) formulations, with both implicit and explicit allowance for core-valence polarisation. We now present a parallel study of transitions belonging to thens ² S–n² P(n=5, 6;n=5–10) spectral series of the AgI sequence, up toZ=63 in some cases.     

Photoionization of the 2s, 2p and 3s subshells of Mg+

We present calculations of total and partial photoionisation cross sections for the 2s, 2p and 3s subshells of Mg⁺ from their ionisation thresholds up to a photon energy of 220 eV. Photoelectron angular distribution parameters are also calculated for the 2p subshell. Oscillator strengths are given for discrete structure, and calculated energy levels compared with experimental values. The significance of electron correlations and two electron excitation for this atomic ion is discussed.     

Electron emission in collisions of slow rare gas ions with partially cesiated W (110)

We report the spectra of electrons emitted after slow collisions (50 eV) of rare gas ions (He⁺, Ne⁺, Ar⁺, and Xe⁺) with partially cesiated W(110) surfaces. The electron spectra are discussed in terms of the two interatomic Auger processes, Auger Capture and Auger Deexcitation and the intra-atomic Auger process, Autodetachment of Rg^–* (He^–* (1s 2s ^{2 2} S) in the case of He). Model calculations including these processes can qualitatively reproduce the measured spectra as well as experimental values for the electron emission coefficients, . This is demonstrated for collisions of He⁺ ions and thermal metastable He atoms with clean and partially cesiated W(110).     

Threshold electron spectra of semiconductor cluster ions

A simple threshold electron analyzer was constructed and laser photodetachment threshold electron spectra of Si^– and Si ₄ ^– were measured.     

Time resolved EUV spectroscopy on foil-excited 5.9 MeV/u Xe and 13.2 MeV/u Au ions

N=3, n=0 transitions in Na-like ions have been observed and the resonance level lifetimes have been measured by time-resolved spectroscopy of foil-excited ion beams of Xe (Z=54) and Au (Z=79). Other lines in the same wavelength range are identified withn=3, n=0 transitions in Ne-, Mg-, and Al-like ions. Wavelengths and transition rates for these new lines are compared to the available theoretical data. A number of experimental problems are discussed.     

Doppler free “dark resonances” for hyperfine measurements and isotope shifts in Ca+ isotopes in a Paul trap

We have observed dark resonances in theA-type level structure, formed by the 4S_1/2 ground state, the 4P_1/2 excited state and the low lying metastable 3D_3/2 state in the Calcium ion, confined in a Paul radio-frequency trap. These Doppler-free and potentially very narrow resonances were used to determine the magnetic dipole hyperfine interaction constant A for the 4P_1/2 and 3D_3/2 state of⁴³Ca⁺, giving –142(8) MHz and –48.3(1.6) MHz, respectively. From measurements of the P-D (E1) and S-D (E2) transition wavelength in a mixture of⁴³Ca⁺ and⁴⁰Ca⁺ we determined the isotope shifts of these lines.     

Reactions of carbon cluster ions stored in an RF trap

Reactions of carbon clusterions with O₂ were studied by using an RF ion trap in which cluster ions of specific size produced by laser ablation could be stored selectively. Reaction rate constants for positive and negative carbon cluster ions were estimated. In the case of the positive cluster ions, these were consistent with the previous experimental results using FTMS. Negative carbon cluster ions C _n ^– (n=4–8) were much less reactive than positive cluster ions. The C_nO^– products were seen only in n=4 and 6.     

Precision measurement of the energy of the 4d 9 5s 2 2 D 5/2 metastable level in Ag I

The energy of the 4d ⁹ 5s ^{2 2} D _5/2 metastable level in Ag I, which is the upper level of the very narrow 5s ² S _1/2 – 4d ⁹ 5s ^{2 2} D _5/2 two-photon transition at 661.2 nm, has been determined from precision measurements of the wavelengths of the 206.1 nm (5s ² S _1/2 – 6p ² P ₃ ^2/0 ) and 547.5 nm (4d ⁹ 5s ^{2 2} D _5/2 – 6p ² P ₃ ^2/0 ) lines emitted from a hollow-cathode discharge. The measured energy of the 4d ⁹ 5s ^{2 2} D _5/2 level, 30 242.286(7) cm^–1, is combined with the known hyperfine splittings and the estimated¹⁰⁷Ag-¹⁰⁹Ag isotope shift to obtain accurate absolute frequencies for the hyperfine components of the 661.2 nm transition. These results should help in the detection of the narrow 661.2 nm two-photon transition, which has been proposed as a new optical frequency standard.     

Laser and radiofrequency spectroscopy of the 5d 4 6s 6 D multiplet in Ta I

The hyperfine structure (hfs) of¹⁸¹Ta has been investigated using laser radio-frequency double resonance and high resolution laser spectroscopy on collimated atomic beams. The magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole hyperfine structure coupling constants of the 5d ^{4 6} s 6D _{3/2, 5/2, 7/2, 9/2} metastable states have been determined using radio-frequency spectroscopy. In the 5d ⁴ 6s ⁶ D _1/2 metastable state and the excited 5d ³ 6s 6p ⁴ D _3/2,⁶ D _{5/2, 9/2} as well as the unidentified 28 182.6 cm^–1 and 30 021.2 cm^–1 states, hfs constants have been obtained from high resolution laser spectroscopy. A radio-frequency converter has been developed in order to reach the frequency region 2.7–10 GHz.     

Analysis of autoionizing Rydberg series Cu I 3d 9 4snl with the multichannel quantum defect theory

Using atomic beam technique, a combination of collisional and laser excitation, and photoion detection, autoionizing Cu I states in the region of the ionization limits Cu II 3d ⁹ 4s(^3,1 D) were investigated. In spite of the complicated structure of the signals due to the four different ionization limits³ D ₃,³ D ₂,³ D ₁ and¹ D ₂ and the large number of possible (LSJ)-states, which can be reached by this experimental technique, the majority of the signals could be attributed to definite Rydberg series 3d ⁹ 4s(³ D ₃,³ D ₂,³ D ₁,¹ D ₂)nl (LSJ). Perturbations were analyzed by the three- and four-channel quantum defect theory and by Hartree-Fock calculations. General formulas for the calculation of the photoionization cross section by the four-channel quantum defect theory in the case of two closed and two open channels are given.     

Energy transfer in collisions of alkali-metal clusters and ions

The electronic energy loss of a positively charged projectile passing through a sodium cluster is calculated by the semiclassical Vlasov method. The electron density before impact is obtained within the localdensity approximation in the jellium model. For the dynamical response, the Vlasov equations are solved by test particle discretization. The model gives the correct breathing mode and dipole Mie frequencies. The energy deposit is calculated as a function of projectile velocity, charge and impact parameter and is compared with theoretical and tabulated values for bulk sodium.     

Symmetry breaking in time evolutions of Rydberg states

We investigate how an initially symmetric state of He, made of two identical electron wave packets, can decay by the descent of an electron into a lower orbit and the ionisation of the second electron. Matrix elements of the Green's function are calculated via a non perturbative, mean field approximation. We find examples where the evolution mechanism predicted by the mean field approximation shows a breaking of the symmetry of the initial state and may lead to autoionization. The dominant component of the solution is asymmetric for energies below –0.005 a.u., but turns out to be symmetric for positive energies.     

Lifetime measurements of the 3D3/2 and 3D5/2 metastable states in CaII

The lifetime of the metastable 3D_3/2 and 3D_5/2 states of Ca⁺ ions is determined in a r.f. ion trap by laser excitation of this levels and subsequent time delayed probing of the state population by a second laser. In a buffer gas atmosphere of about 10^–5–10^–6 mbar of He we observe quenching to the ground state and strong finestructure mixing of the two D-states. This mixing allowes only the determination of the combined lifetime. Our result of (3D)=1.24(39) s is in good agreement with theoretical calculations.     

On the decay modes of hydrogen-helium mesic molecules

Radiative, Auger and two-particle dissociation modes of hydrogen-helium mesic molecules are considered. Auger rate is shown to be independent of the isotopic content of the molecule and amounts to 25% of radiative one. Two-particle decay rate strongly depends on the isotopic content and for light isotopes is an order of magnitude higher than the radiative rate.     

Scalar and quadrupolar intensity contributions in two-photon hyperfine structure transitions in europium

Two-photon transitions from the Eu I ground state 4f ⁷ 6s ² a ⁸ S _7/2 to odd levels with alsoJ=7/2 in the energy range of 34,000 – 36,700 cm^–1 were analysed due to their scalar and quadrupolar contributions. Their ratioR (g, e) were determined experimentally. In most cases the quadrupole contributions are dominant, i.e. 0R (g, e) _exp <>^–3. In the two-photon transition to the level 4f ⁷ 5d ^{2 8} F _7/2 the ratio is remarkably strong:R (g, e) _exp =134 (4)·10^–3. A theoretical estimation ofR (g, e) is not yet satisfying, due to strong configuration mixing in Eu.