Atomic lifetime measurements in elements ( Z>10) belonging to the first, second and third group of the periodic system

Abstract

The beam-foil excitation technique applied to heavy-ion beams in the 150–800-keV energy region mainly gives rise to excited states in neutral, singly and doubly charged species. In general, only few transitions are observed in the neutrals, the resonance transitions being largely dominating. Lifetime measurements of the first excited state in neutral atoms belonging to first, second, and third group of the periodic system have been performed by the beam-foil technique and compared with results obtained by other experimental methods. Systematic trends in the mean lives of excited levels in Al, Ga, In and Tl, and in Zn, Cd, and Hg, have been investigated, including measurements of mean lives of resolved doublets and triplets.