The radiative lifetime of metastable CO (a 3Pi, v=0).
We present a combined experimental and theoretical study on the radiative lifetime of CO in the a (3)Pi(1,2), v=0 state. CO molecules in a beam are prepared in selected rotational levels of this metastable state, Stark-decelerated, and electrostatically trapped. From the phosphorescence decay in the trap, the radiative lifetime is measured to be 2.63+/-0.03 ms for the a (3)Pi(1), v=0, J=1 level. From the spin-orbit coupling between the a (3)Pi and the A (1)Pi states a 20% longer radiative lifetime of 3.16 ms is calculated for this level. It is concluded that coupling to other (1)Pi states contributes to the observed phosphorescence rate of metastable CO.
Gilijamse
Joop J
JJ
Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany. joop_g@fhi-berlin.mpg.de
Hoekstra
Steven
S
Meek
Samuel A
SA
Metsälä
Markus
M
van de Meerakker
Sebastiaan Y T
SY
Meijer
Gerard
G
Groenenboom
Gerrit C
GC