AIP conference proceedings

Spectroscopy of francium

J. E. Simsarian, Joshua M. Grossman, Luis A. Orozco, M.R. Pearson, Gene D. Sprouse, W. Z. Zhao

Published Jan 1, 1999• 1 citation

Abstract

Francium is the least studied of the alkali atoms because it has no stable isotopes. We have performed precision spectroscopy on cold Fr atoms in a magneto optical trap. We have determined the location of the first two excited states of the S series by two-photon spectroscopy. We have measured the lifetimes of the 7p levels with a precision better than 0.5%. Our measurements test the many-body perturbation theory ab initio calculations of the dipole matrix element to very high accuracy in this relativistic alkali.

DOI: 10.1063/1.57443

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AIP conference proceedings

Spectroscopy of francium

J. E. Simsarian, Joshua M. Grossman, Luis A. Orozco, M.R. Pearson, Gene D. Sprouse, W. Z. Zhao

Published Jan 1, 1999• 1 citation

Publisher

Abstract

DOI: 10.1063/1.57443

Related papers

Lifetime measurements of the 7p levels of atomic francium

J. E. Simsarian, Luis A. Orozco, Gene D. Sprouse +1 more

We present lifetime measurements of the ${7p}^{2}{P}_{3/2}$ and ${7p}^{2}{P}_{1/2}$ levels of Fr. We use a time-correlated single-photon counting technique on a cold sample of ${}^{210}\mathrm{Fr}$ atoms in a magneto-optic trap. We excite the atoms with the trapping and repumping beams of the magneto-optic trap and detect the decay of the atomic fluorescence. The results are a precision experimental test of the atomic many-body perturbation theory applied to the heaviest alkali metal. The lifetime results are 21.02(11) ns and 29.45(11) ns for the ${7p}^{2}{P}_{3/2}$ and ${7p}^{2}{P}_{1/2}$ levels, respectively. This gives a line strength ratio ${\mathcal{S}}_{1/2}$ / ${\mathcal{S}}_{3/2}$ of 0.526(3) for these levels in Fr. To study sources of systematic errors we measure the lifetimes of ${5p}^{2}{P}_{3/2}$ and ${5p}^{2}{P}_{1/2}$ in stable ${}^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ and obtain 26.20(9) ns and 27.64(4) ns, respectively.We present lifetime measurements of the ${7p}^{2}{P}_{3/2}$ and ${7p}^{2}{P}_{1/2}$ levels of Fr. We use a time-correlated single-photon counting technique on a cold sample of ${}^{210}\mathrm{Fr}$ atoms in a magneto-optic trap. We excite the atoms with the trapping and repumping beams of the magneto-optic trap and detect the decay of the atomic fluorescence. The results are a precision experimental test of the atomic many-body perturbation theory applied to the heaviest alkali metal. The lifetime results are 21.02(11) ns and 29.45(11) ns for the ${7p}^{2}{P}_{3/2}$ and ${7p}^{2}{P}_{1/2}$ levels, respectively. This gives a line strength ratio ${\mathcal{S}}_{1/2}$/${\mathcal{S}}_{3/2}$ of 0.526(3) for these levels in Fr. To study sources of systematic errors we measure the lifetimes of ${5p}^{2}{P}_{3/2}$ and ${5p}^{2}{P}_{1/2}$ in stable ${}^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ and obtain 26.20(9) ns and 27.64(4) ns, respectively.

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J. E. Simsarian, A. Ghosh, G. Gwinner +3 more

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Performance of francium ion sources

Sergey Nikitich Atutov, R. Calabrese, L. Corradi +10 more

A cold cloud of rare atoms is desirable in several fields. High-resolution spectroscopy of poorly-known atomic levels and tests of the Standard Model in atomic systems are examples of studies pursued in laboratories around the world [1]. Francium is particularly suitable because it is the heaviest alkali metal and it has several isotopes with relatively long lifetimes. Also, one expects enhanced parity-violating effects and reduced theoretical uncertainties from isotope comparisons. By accumulating atoms in a trap, one partially compensates for their scarcity. Our group and the one at SUNY Stony Brook, who pioneered the field [2], are focusing on the isotopes with mass numbers in the range 208–211. A production target, a beam transport line and a magneto-optical trap (MOT) are operating at INFN’s National Laboratories in Legnaro. An overview of our work is given in Refs. [3, 4]. Here we summarize the performance of the Fr sources.A cold cloud of rare atoms is desirable in several fields. High-resolution spectroscopy of poorly-known atomic levels and tests of the Standard Model in atomic systems are examples of studies pursued in laboratories around the world [1]. Francium is particularly suitable because it is the heaviest alkali metal and it has several isotopes with relatively long lifetimes. Also, one expects enhanced parity-violating effects and reduced theoretical uncertainties from isotope comparisons. By accumulating atoms in a trap, one partially compensates for their scarcity. Our group and the one at SUNY Stony Brook, who pioneered the field [2], are focusing on the isotopes with mass numbers in the range 208–211. A production target, a beam transport line and a magneto-optical trap (MOT) are operating at INFN’s National Laboratories in Legnaro. An overview of our work is given in Refs. [3, 4]. Here we summarize the performance of the Fr sources.

Jan 1, 20060 citations

We present lifetime measurements of the

{7p}^{2}{P}_{3/2}

and

{7p}^{2}{P}_{1/2}

levels of Fr. We use a time-correlated single-photon counting technique on a cold sample of

{}^{210}\mathrm{Fr}

atoms in a magneto-optic trap. We excite the atoms with the trapping and repumping beams of the magneto-optic trap and detect the decay of the atomic fluorescence. The results are a precision experimental test of the atomic many-body perturbation theory applied to the heaviest alkali metal. The lifetime results are 21.02(11) ns and 29.45(11) ns for the

{7p}^{2}{P}_{3/2}

and

{7p}^{2}{P}_{1/2}

levels, respectively. This gives a line strength ratio

{\mathcal{S}}_{1/2}

{\mathcal{S}}_{3/2}

of 0.526(3) for these levels in Fr. To study sources of systematic errors we measure the lifetimes of

{5p}^{2}{P}_{3/2}

and

{5p}^{2}{P}_{1/2}

in stable

{}^{87}\mathrm{Rb}

and obtain 26.20(9) ns and 27.64(4) ns, respectively.

We present the first measurement of an atomic radiative lifetime in Fr. We use a time-correlated single photon counting technique with a cold sample of

{}^{210}\mathrm{Fr}

atoms in a magneto-optic trap. The results are a precision experimental test of the atomic many-body perturbation theory applied to the heaviest alkali. The lifetime for the

7p{}^{2}{P}_{3/2}

level of

21.02(16)

ns gives a value for the reduced transition matrix element between the levels $7s{}^{2}{S}_{1/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}7p{}^{2}{P}_{3/2}$ of $5.898(22){a}_{\ensuremath{\infty}}$ atomic units.

The alkali element francium has no stable isotopes and has eluded extensive study because sufficient quantities have not been available for detailed investigations. More than 1000

{}^{210}\mathrm{Fr}

atoms have now been contained in a magneto-optic trap. This number is sufficient to allow extensive studies of Fr atomic properties that are necessary input for future tests of fundamental interactions.