Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Journal of the Optical Society of America

Measurement of the Radiative Lifetimes of the First Excited States of Na, K, Rb, and Cs by Means of the Phase-Shift Method*

John K. Link

Published Sep 1, 1966• 157 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The lifetimes of the first excited states of the elements Na, K, Rb, and Cs were measured using the phase-shift method described by Brewer et al. [ Rev. Sci. Instr.33, 1450 ( 1962)]. The data were taken over a wide range of vapor densities to allow the effects of radiation entrapment and of scattered exciting light to be taken into account. The following values were obtained: Na 3p2P 16.1±0.3 nsec, K 4p2P 27.8±0.5 nsec, Rb 5p2P3/2 27.0±0.5 nsec, and Cs 6p2P3/2 30.5±0.7 nsec.

DOI
10.1364/josa.56.001195

Related papers

Measurement of Lifetimes of Excited States of Na, Tl, In, Ga, Cu, Ag, Pb, and Bi by the Phase-Shift Method

Paul T. Cunningham, John K. Link

Lifetimes of 13 upper states of optical-resonance transitions in selected metal atoms have been measured using the phase-shift method. Data were taken over a range of at least 12 of fluorescence intensity, to take into account the effects of radiation entrapment and exciting light scattering. The following results were obtained: Na 3p2P0 16.2 nsec, Tl 7s ²S12 7.65 nsec, Tl 6d²D32 6.9 nsec, In 6s ²S12 7.5 nsec, In 5d ²D32 7.9 nsec, In 5d ²D52 7.9 nsec, Ga 5s ²S12 7.6 nsec, Ga 4d2D 7.7 nsec, Cu 4p2P0 7.2 nsec, Ag 5p ²P120 6.7 nsec, Ag 5p ²P120 7.5 nsec, Pb 7s3P10 6.05 nsec, and Bi 7s ⁴P12 5.9 nsec. Estimated absolute accuracies vary between 3 and 7%.

Journal of the Optical Society of America•Aug 1, 1967•87 citations

Lifetime Measurements of the 4s^2S_1/2 and 3d^2D States of Aluminum by the Phase-Shift Method

Paul T. Cunningham

Lifetimes of the upper states of two optical-resonance transitions in aluminum have been measured using the phase-shift method. Data were taken over a large range of fluorescence intensities, to allow for evaluation of the effects of scattered exciting light and radiation entrapment. The results obtained are τ4s2S12=7.05, τ3d2D = 13.70 ± 0.40 nsec.

Journal of the Optical Society of America•Nov 1, 1968•10 citations

Lifetime measurements in the excited S states of K, Rb, and Cs by the cascade Hanle effect*

Basim R. Bulos, R. Gupta, W. Happer

The cascade Hanle-effect technique has been described in detail. It has been used to measure the radiative lifetimes of several excited S states in heavy alkali metal atoms. We obtained the following measurements (in nanoseconds): τ(K, 6 2S1/2) = 68 ± 9, τ(Rb, 7 2S1/2) = 91 ± 11, τ(Cs, 8 2S1/2) = 96 ± 14, and τ(Cs, 9 2S1/2) = 231 ± 35.

Journal of the Optical Society of America•May 1, 1976•35 citations

Direct Measurement of Atomic Lifetimes of Cesium and Sodium*

Richard J. Wolff, Sumner P. Davis

An apparatus has been developed which is capable of measuring radiative lifetimes for energy levels that can be reached in absorption. At present, lifetimes in the range 15 nsec to 5 μsec can be measured, but the range can be extended in both directions. The lifetime of the 7p P232 state of cesium is measured to be 111±6 nsec, in moderately good agreement with one previous determination and with a Bates–Damgaard calculation. The lifetime of the 3p2P states of sodium is measured to be 16.1 ± 1 nsec, in excellent agreement with other measurements.

Journal of the Optical Society of America•Apr 1, 1968•16 citations

Model-potential calculation of lifetimes of Rydberg states of alkali atoms

Xinghong He, Baiwen Li, Aiqiu Chen +1 more

A comprehensive set of transition probabilities and radiative lifetimes of Rydberg states of alkali atoms (for Na, K, Cs, n<or=30; and for Rb, n<or=50) is obtained by using a simple, exactly solvable potential model for atoms. The results agree well with the available experimental values and other theoretical ones. Scaling relations for evaluating transition probabilities and lifetimes of high Rydberg states are also discussed. The well known (n*) -5 scaling law of the transition probabilities A n(inf) not=n(inf) / with n' approximately=n>>1 is generally valid; however, the authors also find deviations from this law for some d to p and f to d transitions for Rb. A third-power polynomial is found to be better than the currently used exponential scaling law in predicting the lifetimes of even higher excited states.

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Feb 28, 1990•61 citations

The Imprisonment and Quenching of Sodium and Potassium Resonance Radiation.

G. H. Copley

The met h o d of delayed coincidences for measu r i n g lifetimes of excited states has been used to investigate imprisonment of radiation in potassium vapor and to measure quenching cross sections in mixtures of potassium w ith diatomic gases and sodium wi t h noble gases.The me thod has also been u s e d to investigate the possibility that a longlived molec u l a r complex might be formed in inelastic collisions between 2 potassium and xenon, which lead to excitation transfer between the P potassium states.The alkali metal atoms were excited w i t h short pulses of resonance radiation, and the delays between the exciting and fluores cent pulses were m e a s u r e d w i t h a time-to-amplitude converter.At 10 3 pure potassium densities below 10 atoms/cm , the m e a s u r e d lifetimes approach the constant values of 27.8 + 0 .8 and 27.6 + 0 .8 nsec, 2 2 corresponding to the m e a n lifetimes of the 4 ^^2 anc* ^ ^3 / 2 s t a t e s > respectively.At higher densities, the apparent lifetimes are in satisfactory agreement w i t h the predictions of H o l s t e i n 's theory.The decrease in the apparent lifetimes, u p o n addition of diatomic gases to the potassium vapor, yielded cross sections for quenching collisions w it h N^, H^, HD and D^, which equal 34.0 + 2 .0 X2, 9.4 + 1.3 X2, 11.9 + 1.5 X2 and 8 .0 + 2 .0 X2, respectively.Addition of the noble gases He, Ne, Kr, Ar and Xe to sodium vapor did not lead to any measurable change in the decay rates for the sodium states within the iii

•Jan 1, 1969•0 citations
The lifetimes of the first excited states of the elements Na, K, Rb, and Cs were measured using the phase-shift method described by Brewer et al. [ Rev. Sci. Instr.33, 1450 ( 1962)]. The data were taken over a wide range of vapor densities to allow the effects of radiation entrapment and of scattered exciting light to be taken into account. The following values were obtained: Na 3p2P 16.1±0.3 nsec, K 4p2P 27.8±0.5 nsec, Rb 5p2P3/2 27.0±0.5 nsec, and Cs 6p2P3/2 30.5±0.7 nsec.
Lifetimes of 13 upper states of optical-resonance transitions in selected metal atoms have been measured using the phase-shift method. Data were taken over a range of at least 12 of fluorescence intensity, to take into account the effects of radiation entrapment and exciting light scattering. The following results were obtained: Na 3p2P0 16.2 nsec, Tl 7s ²S12 7.65 nsec, Tl 6d²D32 6.9 nsec, In 6s ²S12 7.5 nsec, In 5d ²D32 7.9 nsec, In 5d ²D52 7.9 nsec, Ga 5s ²S12 7.6 nsec, Ga 4d2D 7.7 nsec, Cu 4p2P0 7.2 nsec, Ag 5p ²P120 6.7 nsec, Ag 5p ²P120 7.5 nsec, Pb 7s3P10 6.05 nsec, and Bi 7s ⁴P12 5.9 nsec. Estimated absolute accuracies vary between 3 and 7%.
An apparatus has been developed which is capable of measuring radiative lifetimes for energy levels that can be reached in absorption. At present, lifetimes in the range 15 nsec to 5 μsec can be measured, but the range can be extended in both directions. The lifetime of the 7p P232 state of cesium is measured to be 111±6 nsec, in moderately good agreement with one previous determination and with a Bates–Damgaard calculation. The lifetime of the 3p2P states of sodium is measured to be 16.1 ± 1 nsec, in excellent agreement with other measurements.
A comprehensive set of transition probabilities and radiative lifetimes of Rydberg states of alkali atoms (for Na, K, Cs, n<or=30; and for Rb, n<or=50) is obtained by using a simple, exactly solvable potential model for atoms. The results agree well with the available experimental values and other theoretical ones. Scaling relations for evaluating transition probabilities and lifetimes of high Rydberg states are also discussed. The well known (n*) -5 scaling law of the transition probabilities A n(inf) not=n(inf) / with n' approximately=n>>1 is generally valid; however, the authors also find deviations from this law for some d to p and f to d transitions for Rb. A third-power polynomial is found to be better than the currently used exponential scaling law in predicting the lifetimes of even higher excited states.
The met h o d of delayed coincidences for measu r i n g lifetimes of excited states has been used to investigate imprisonment of radiation in potassium vapor and to measure quenching cross sections in mixtures of potassium w ith diatomic gases and sodium wi t h noble gases.The me thod has also been u s e d to investigate the possibility that a longlived molec u l a r complex might be formed in inelastic collisions between 2 potassium and xenon, which lead to excitation transfer between the P potassium states.The alkali metal atoms were excited w i t h short pulses of resonance radiation, and the delays between the exciting and fluores cent pulses were m e a s u r e d w i t h a time-to-amplitude converter.At 10 3 pure potassium densities below 10 atoms/cm , the m e a s u r e d lifetimes approach the constant values of 27.8 + 0 .8 and 27.6 + 0 .8 nsec, 2 2 corresponding to the m e a n lifetimes of the 4 ^^2 anc* ^ ^3 / 2 s t a t e s > respectively.At higher densities, the apparent lifetimes are in satisfactory agreement w i t h the predictions of H o l s t e i n 's theory.The decrease in the apparent lifetimes, u p o n addition of diatomic gases to the potassium vapor, yielded cross sections for quenching collisions w it h N^, H^, HD and D^, which equal 34.0 + 2 .0 X2, 9.4 + 1.3 X2, 11.9 + 1.5 X2 and 8 .0 + 2 .0 X2, respectively.Addition of the noble gases He, Ne, Kr, Ar and Xe to sodium vapor did not lead to any measurable change in the decay rates for the sodium states within the iii