Physical Review Letters

Lifetime measurement of the 1 s5 metastable state of argon and krypton with a magneto-optical trap

Hidetoshi Katori, Fujio Shimizu

Published Jun 7, 1993• 79 citations

Abstract

The natural decay rates of the 1${\mathit{s}}_{5}$[${\mathit{np}}^{5}$(n+1)s${,}^{3}$${\mathit{P}}_{2}$] metastable state of argon and krypton are experimentally determined using a magneto-optical trap. The method to determine the lifetime of a metastable state from a fluorescence decay measurement is described. The obtained lifetimes are ${38}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}5}^{+8}$ s for argon and ${39}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}^{+5}$ s for krypton.

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.70.3545

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Physical Review Letters

Lifetime measurement of the 1 s5 metastable state of argon and krypton with a magneto-optical trap

Hidetoshi Katori, Fujio Shimizu

Published Jun 7, 1993• 79 citations

Publisher

Abstract

The natural decay rates of the 1

{\mathit{s}}_{5}

[

{\mathit{np}}^{5}

(n+1)s

{,}^{3}$${\mathit{P}}_{2}

] metastable state of argon and krypton are experimentally determined using a magneto-optical trap. The method to determine the lifetime of a metastable state from a fluorescence decay measurement is described. The obtained lifetimes are

{38}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}5}^{+8}

s for argon and

{39}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}^{+5}

s for krypton.

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.70.3545

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J. Lefers, N. Miller, David S. N. Rupke +2 more

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The natural decay rates of the 1

{\mathit{s}}_{5}

[

{\mathit{np}}^{5}

(n+1)s

{,}^{3}$${\mathit{P}}_{2}

{38}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}5}^{+8}

s for argon and

{39}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}^{+5}

s for krypton.

We use a magneto-optical trap to isolate

{}^{84}\mathrm{Kr}

atoms in the metastable

{}^{3}{P}_{2}

state and then measure the rate of 125.0-nm fluorescence due to spontaneous magnetic quadrupole

(M2)

decay. We normalize the overall fluorescence rate from the sample using a ``quenching'' process in which laser excitation provides a path for prompt decay to the ground state, with each atom emitting one 123.6-nm photon. A single, solar-blind photomultiplier tube is used to detect both the

M2

and the quench-induced photons, so that only small corrections relating to spectral response are necessary. We find a spontaneous decay rate of $\ensuremath{\Gamma}=0.0354(22){\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1},$ which translates into a lifetime of 28.3(1.8) s. This result is discussed in the context of previous measurements and calculations of

{}^{3}{P}_{2}

lifetimes in the rare gases.

Magneto-optically trapped atoms enable the determination of lifetimes of metastable states and higher lying excited states like the

5{d}^{2}{\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}}^{3}{F}_{2}

state in barium. The state is efficiently populated by driving strong transitions from metastable states within the cooling cycle of the barium magneto-optical trap (MOT). The lifetime is inferred from the increase of MOT fluorescence after the transfer of up to

30%

of the trapped atoms to this state. The radiative decay of the

5{d}^{2}{\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}}^{3}{F}_{2}

state cascades to the cooling cycle of the MOT with a probability of

96.0(7)%

corresponding to a trap loss of

4.0(7)%

and its lifetime is determined to $160(10)\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s}$. This is in good agreement with the theoretically calculated lifetime of $190\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s}$ [V. A. Dzuba and V. V. Flambaum, J. Phys. B 40, 227 (2007)]. The determined loss of

4.0(7)%

from the cooling cycle is compared with the theoretically calculated branching ratios. This measurement extends the efficacy of trapped atoms to measure lifetimes of higher, long-lived states and validate the atomic structure calculations of heavy multielectron systems.

We demonstrate an accurate method for measuring the lifetime of long-lived metastable magnetic states using a magneto-optical trap (MOT). Through optical pumping, the metastable

(3s3p)\text{ }{^{3}P}_{1}

level is populated in a standard MOT. During the optical pumping process, a fraction of the population is captured in the magnetic quadrupole field of the MOT. When the metastable atoms decay to the

(3{s}^{2})\text{ }{^{1}S}_{0}

ground state they are recaptured into the MOT. In this system no alternative cascading transition is possible. The lifetime of the metastable level is measured directly as an exponential load time of the MOT. We have experimentally tested our method by measuring the lifetime of the

(3s3p)\text{ }{^{3}P}_{1}

^{24}\text{M}\text{g}

. This lifetime has been measured numerous times previously, but with quite different results. Using our method we find the

(3s3p)\text{ }{^{3}P}_{1}

lifetime to be $(4.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2)\text{ }\text{ms}$. Theoretical values point toward a lower value for the lifetime.