The lifetimes of the metastable $1s2s2p{ }^{4}{P}_{5/2}$ level of ${\mathrm{He}}^{\ensuremath{-}},$ as well as the lifetime of the average of the ${}^{4}{P}_{3/2}$ and ${}^{4}{P}_{1/2}$ levels, have been measured using a new type of ion trap that stores keV ion beams using electrostatic fields only. The use of a pure electrostatic field avoids the complication of magnetic-field-induced mixing effects, which can interfere with the measurement of the spontaneous decay. The measured lifetime for the ${}^{4}{P}_{5/2}$ state, after correction for decay induced by blackbody radiation, is $343\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10 \ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s}.$ This value is consistent with previous experiments, and in excellent agreement with the most recent theoretical calculations. The average lifetime of the ${}^{4}{P}_{3/2}$ and ${}^{4}{P}_{1/2}$ is $8.9\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 \ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s},$ which is about 20% lower than the weighted theoretical value.The lifetimes of the metastable $1s2s2p{ }^{4}{P}_{5/2}$ level of ${\mathrm{He}}^{\ensuremath{-}},$ as well as the lifetime of the average of the ${}^{4}{P}_{3/2}$ and ${}^{4}{P}_{1/2}$ levels, have been measured using a new type of ion trap that stores keV ion beams using electrostatic fields only. The use of a pure electrostatic field avoids the complication of magnetic-field-induced mixing effects, which can interfere with the measurement of the spontaneous decay. The measured lifetime for the ${}^{4}{P}_{5/2}$ state, after correction for decay induced by blackbody radiation, is $343\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10 \ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s}.$ This value is consistent with previous experiments, and in excellent agreement with the most recent theoretical calculations. The average lifetime of the ${}^{4}{P}_{3/2}$ and ${}^{4}{P}_{1/2}$ is $8.9\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 \ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s},$ which is about 20% lower than the weighted theoretical value.

Physical Review AJan 1, 199956 citations

Designing an optical lattice trap for ions

Matt Grau, Christoph Fischer, Oliver Wipfli +1 more

Bulletin of the American Physical SocietyJun 7, 20170 citations

Towards an understanding of decoherence in ion traps

Marcelo Terra Cunha, Maria Carolina Nemes

arXiv:quant-ph/0401117Physics Letters AJul 22, 20042 citations

Precision Lifetime Measurements of He− in a Cryogenic Electrostatic Ion-Beam Trap

P. Reinhed, Andrea Orbán, J.G. Werner +9 more

We have developed a small purely electrostatic ion-beam trap which may be operated in thermal equilibrium at precisely controlled temperatures down to 10 K. Thus, we avoid magnetic field induced mixing of quantum states and may effectively eliminate any influence from absorption of photons from blackbody radiation. We report the first correction-free measurement of the lifetime of the 1s2s2p {4}P{5/2}{0} level of 4He(-) yielding the high-precision result 359.0 +/- 0.7 micros. This result is an essential proof-of-principle for cryogenic electrostatic storage rings and traps for atomic and molecular physics.We have developed a small purely electrostatic ion-beam trap which may be operated in thermal equilibrium at precisely controlled temperatures down to 10 K. Thus, we avoid magnetic field induced mixing of quantum states and may effectively eliminate any influence from absorption of photons from blackbody radiation. We report the first correction-free measurement of the lifetime of the 1s2s2p {4}P{5/2}{0} level of 4He(-) yielding the high-precision result 359.0 +/- 0.7 micros. This result is an essential proof-of-principle for cryogenic electrostatic storage rings and traps for atomic and molecular physics.

Physical Review LettersNov 18, 200954 citations

All-optical trapping of strongly coupled ions

I. V. Krasnov, L. P. Kamenshchikov

Optics CommunicationsSep 27, 201311 citations

The lifetimes of the metastable

1s2s2p{ }^{4}{P}_{5/2}

level of ${\mathrm{He}}^{\ensuremath{-}},$ as well as the lifetime of the average of the

{}^{4}{P}_{3/2}

and

{}^{4}{P}_{1/2}

levels, have been measured using a new type of ion trap that stores keV ion beams using electrostatic fields only. The use of a pure electrostatic field avoids the complication of magnetic-field-induced mixing effects, which can interfere with the measurement of the spontaneous decay. The measured lifetime for the

{}^{4}{P}_{5/2}

state, after correction for decay induced by blackbody radiation, is $343\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10 \ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s}.$ This value is consistent with previous experiments, and in excellent agreement with the most recent theoretical calculations. The average lifetime of the

{}^{4}{P}_{3/2}

and

{}^{4}{P}_{1/2}

is $8.9\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 \ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s},$ which is about 20% lower than the weighted theoretical value.