Lifetimes of the 9s and 8p levels of atomic francium Article uri icon

abstract

  • The lifetimes of the 9Ss1/2, 8P3/2, and 8P 1/2 excited levels of atomic francium were measured. Time-correlated single-photon counting techniques were used on a sample of 210Fr atoms confined and cooled in a magneto-optical trap. It was observed that the direct measurement of the 9S1/2 level through the 7P3/2 level at 851 nm gave a lifetime of 107.53±0.90 ns. It was found that the accuracy of the measurement of the lifetime of the 9s level was better than a percent, while the accuracy for the 8p levels was around 2%25.

publication date

  • 2004-01-01