Measurements of radiative lifetime of high-lying odd parity energy levels of U I

Abstract

We have measured the radiative lifetimes of nine odd-parity high-lying energy levels of atomic uranium (U I) using pump probe techniques. These measurements were carried out by employing a resonance ionisation mass spectrometry (RIMS) setup consisting of three dye lasers and a Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (TOF-MS). In most of the cases, our measurement values match reasonably well with those reported in the literature; however, large deviations were also observed in two long-lived cases, which we have tried to explain. The lifetimes of three odd parity energy levels of U I were measured for the first time.