Experimental and theoretical lifetimes and transition probabilities in Sb I

Abstract

We present experimental atomic lifetimes for 12 levels in Sb I, out of which seven are reported for the first time. The levels belong to the 5p${}^2$(${}^3$P)6s ${}^2$P, ${}^4$P and 5p${}^2$(${}^3$P)5d ${}^4$P, ${}^4$F and ${}^2$F terms. The lifetimes were measured using time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence. In addition, we report new calculations of transition probabilities in Sb I using a Multiconfigurational Dirac-Hartree-Fock method. The physical model being tested through comparisons between theoretical and experimental lifetimes for 5d and 6s levels. The lifetimes of the 5d ${}^4$F${}_{3/2,5/2,7/2}$ levels (19.5, 7.8 and 54 ns, respectively) depend strongly on the $J$-value. This is explained by different degrees of level mixing for the different levels in the ${}^4$F term.

10 pages