Title | Combining experiments and relativistic theory for establishing accurate radiative quantities in atoms: The lifetime of the P-2(3/2) state in Ca-40(+) |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2020 |
Authors | Z. Meir, iv, M. Sinhal, M. S. Safronova, and S. Willitsch |
Journal | Phys. Rev. A |
Volume | 101 |
Pagination | 012509 |
Date Published | JAN 14 |
Type of Article | Article |
ISSN | 2469-9926 |
Abstract | We report a precise determination of the lifetime of the (4p) P-2(3/2) state of Ca-40(+), tau(p3/2) = 6.639(42) ns, using a combination of measurements of the induced light shift and scattering rate on a single trapped ion. Good agreement with the result of a recent high-level theoretical calculation, 6.69(6) ns {[}M. S. Safronova et al., Phys. A 83, 012503 (2011)], but a 6-sigma discrepancy with the most precise previous experimental value, 6.924(19) ns {[}J. Jin et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 3213 (1993)], is found. To corroborate the consistency and accuracy of the new measurements, relativistically corrected ratios of reduced-dipole-matrix elements are used to directly compare our result with a recent result for the P-1/2 state, yielding a good agreement. The application of the present method to precise determinations of radiative quantities of molecular systems is discussed. |
DOI | 10.1103/PhysRevA.101.012509 |