Journal of the Optical Society of America
Measurement of the lowest S-state lifetime of Al, Ga, In, and Tl†
Mark D. Havey, L. C. Balling, J. J. Wright
Abstract
The lifetimes of the lowest 2S1/2 state in Al, Ga, In, and Tl have been measured by observing the exponential decay of the fluorescence arising from the 2S1/2–2P3/2 transition in each atom, following selective excitation of the 2S1/2 state by an N2 laser-pumped dye laser. The values obtained for the 2S1/2 state lifetimes were τ(A1) = (6.8 ± 0.3) ns, τ(Ga) = (7.0 ± 0.4) ns, τ(In) = (7.4 ± 0.3) ns, τ(Tl) = (7.8 ± 0.3) ns.