title: The radiative lifetime of metastable CO (a 3Pi, v=0).
abstract: 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.
authors: Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany. joop_g@fhi-berlin.mpg.de
authors: Joop J
authors: JJ
authors: Gilijamse
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Hoekstra
authors: Samuel A
authors: SA
authors: Meek
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Metsälä
authors: Sebastiaan Y T
authors: SY
authors: van de Meerakker
authors: Gerard
authors: G
authors: Meijer
authors: Gerrit C
authors: GC
authors: Groenenboom