Lifetimes of the hyperfine levels of 3d94s 3D3 in high-Z Ni-like ions

Abstract

Based on the multi-configuration Dirac–Hartree–Fock method and using the GRASPVU package, a theoretical investigation was performed to study the lifetimes of hyperfine levels of the first excited level 3d94s 3D3 in Ni-like ions (Z = 72–79) for all stable isotopes with nuclear spin. Comparisons between hyperfine-induced electric quadrupole transition rates and the pure magnetic octupole transition rates show that the extra electric quadrupole transition channel caused by the nuclear magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole hyperfine interaction is important for most hyperfine levels in each individual ion. Lifetimes of most hyperfine levels are sensitive to this extra decay channel. Extreme cases are found in 181Ta, 185Re and 187Re, where lifetimes of some hyperfine levels are shortened by more than an order of magnitude.