Accurate time-resolved laser spectroscopy on sputtered metal atoms

Abstract

The delayed coincidence photon counting technique, employing a picosecond tunable dye laser as an excitation source, has been used for accurate determinations of radiative lifetimes of excited states. Excitation from meta-stable states of sputtered atoms was employed. We obtained for Cu: τ(3d10 4p2P1/2 = 7.27(0.06) ns, τ(3d10 4p2P3/2) = 7.17(0.06) ns and for Fe: τ(3d7 4p y3F2)= 9.06(0.16) ns, τ(3d7 4p y3F3) = 9.06(0.13) ns and τ(3d7 4p y3F4) = 9.11 (0.16) ns. Also, the ability of this technique to record quantum beats at frequencies up to 1 GHz is demonstrated.