Messung von Lebensdauern und relativen Besetzungszahlen angeregter Zustände des Wasserstoffatoms mit der Methode der Ionenstrahlspektroskopie

H ⁺₂ ions or protons, accelerated to energies between 80 and 300 keV, are sent through a thin carbon target. Light emitted by the excited atoms moving out of the foil with a definite velocity is analyzed using interference filters and a cooled photomultiplier. Intensities of theH _α,H _β, andH _γ lines are measured as functions of the distance from the foil. The data is analyzed with a computer program, which yields (in agreement with theory) mean lives of the hydrogen atom excited states involved, and the relative initial state populations of states belonging to the same principal quantum number. There is no indication of cascading.