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American Journal of Physics

Measurement of Atomic Lifetimes by the Hanle Effect

Robert L. deZafra, W.T. Kirk

Published Jul 1, 1967• 24 citations
Publisher

Abstract

An experiment is described which utilizes the Hanle technique for measurement of atomic excited-state lifetimes, with particular application to the P13 state of mercury. The components for the experiment are comparatively inexpensive or readily constructed, and the technique is one of the few which directly illustrate features of the interaction between radiation and free atoms. A simple classical description of the effect is given, followed by a more detailed quantum description, as well as constructional details of an experimental arrangement suitable for an advanced undergraduate or graduate laboratory.

DOI
10.1119/1.1974192

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Measurements of Lowest-S-State Lifetimes of Gallium, Indium, and Thalium

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Physical Review A•Mar 1, 1971•34 citations
An experiment is described which utilizes the Hanle technique for measurement of atomic excited-state lifetimes, with particular application to the P13 state of mercury. The components for the experiment are comparatively inexpensive or readily constructed, and the technique is one of the few which directly illustrate features of the interaction between radiation and free atoms. A simple classical description of the effect is given, followed by a more detailed quantum description, as well as constructional details of an experimental arrangement suitable for an advanced undergraduate or graduate laboratory.
A Hanle experiment has been used to determine the following radiative lifetimes (in nsec) of rubidium: ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\tau}}}_{6\mathit{D}3/2}$=298\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}8, ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\tau}}}_{7\mathit{D}3/2}$=345\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}9, ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\tau}}}_{8\mathit{D}3/2}$=586\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}15, and ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\tau}}}_{9\mathit{D}3/2}$=638\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}17. These data were taken at a temperature of 293 K and are not corrected for effects due to blackbody radiation. The effect of the hyperfine interaction on the Hanle signal is discussed in detail for an excited state of arbitrary angular momentum.
The lifetimes of the gallium 52S125^{2}S_{\frac{1}{2}}52S21​​ state, the indium 62S126^{2}S_{\frac{1}{2}}62S21​​ state, and the thallium 72S127^{2}S_{\frac{1}{2}}72S21​​ state were measured using the zero-field level-crossing (Hanle-effect) technique. The life-times obtained were (6.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$, (7.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$, and (7.45\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$ sec, respectively. Anomalous contributions to the level-crossing signals, from the wavelength dependence of the exciting light intensity and self-absorption by the fluorescing atomic beam, were investigated in detail.