We present lifetime measurements of the $5{D}_{3∕2}$ and $5{D}_{5∕2}$ states of rubidium using the time-correlated single-photon-counting method. We perform the experiment in a magneto-optical trap of $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ atoms using a two-step excitation with the trap laser at $780\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ as the first step. We record the $761.9\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ fluorescence from the decay of the $5{D}_{3∕2}$ state to the $5{P}_{1∕2}$ state, and measure the lifetime of the $5{D}_{3∕2}$ state $\ensuremath{\tau}=246.3(1.6)\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ns}$. We record the $420.2\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ fluorescence from the cascade decay of the $5{D}_{5∕2}$ state to the $5{S}_{1∕2}$ state through the $6{P}_{3∕2}$ state, and extract the lifetime of the $5{D}_{5∕2}$ state $\ensuremath{\tau}=238.5(2.3)\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ns}$.We present lifetime measurements of the $5{D}_{3∕2}$ and $5{D}_{5∕2}$ states of rubidium using the time-correlated single-photon-counting method. We perform the experiment in a magneto-optical trap of $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ atoms using a two-step excitation with the trap laser at $780\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ as the first step. We record the $761.9\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ fluorescence from the decay of the $5{D}_{3∕2}$ state to the $5{P}_{1∕2}$ state, and measure the lifetime of the $5{D}_{3∕2}$ state $\ensuremath{\tau}=246.3(1.6)\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ns}$. We record the $420.2\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ fluorescence from the cascade decay of the $5{D}_{5∕2}$ state to the $5{S}_{1∕2}$ state through the $6{P}_{3∕2}$ state, and extract the lifetime of the $5{D}_{5∕2}$ state $\ensuremath{\tau}=238.5(2.3)\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ns}$.

arXiv:0811.4010Physical Review ADec 15, 200874 citations

We present lifetime measurements of the

5{D}_{3∕2}

and

5{D}_{5∕2}

states of rubidium using the time-correlated single-photon-counting method. We perform the experiment in a magneto-optical trap of

^{87}\mathrm{Rb}

atoms using a two-step excitation with the trap laser at

780\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}

as the first step. We record the

761.9\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}

fluorescence from the decay of the

5{D}_{3∕2}

state to the

5{P}_{1∕2}

state, and measure the lifetime of the

5{D}_{3∕2}

state $\ensuremath{\tau}=246.3(1.6)\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ns}$. We record the

420.2\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}

fluorescence from the cascade decay of the

5{D}_{5∕2}

state to the

5{S}_{1∕2}

state through the

6{P}_{3∕2}

state, and extract the lifetime of the

5{D}_{5∕2}

state $\ensuremath{\tau}=238.5(2.3)\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ns}$.