Measurement of the Lamb shift in the n = 4 state of /sup 4/He/sup +/

Journal Article · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Phys. Rev. A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.30.2170· OSTI ID:5987688

Bollinger, J J; Lundeen, S R; Pipkin, F M

The separated oscillatory field technique was used with a 120-keV /sup 4/He/sup +/ beam to make a zero-magnetic-field measurement of the n = 4 Lamb-shift interval in /sup 4/He/sup +/. Excited /sup 4/He/sup +/ ions were created by collisions in a cell filled with N/sub 2/ gas. The 4 /sup 2/S/sub 1/2/ state population was monitored by observing its decay to the 2 /sup 2/P state with a large solid-angle NO photoionization detector. The n = 4 to 2 light (121.5 nm) decreased when the microwave field induced transitions from the 4 /sup 2/S/sub 1/2/ to the 4 /sup 2/P/sub 1/2/ state. The value obtained for the Lamb shift was 1769.16 +- 0.84 MHz. This result agrees satisfactorily with previous measurements and with the theoretical value for this interval. The experimental uncertainty is dominated by systematic effects attributed to the presence of overlapping cascade signals.

• Research Organization: Lyman Laboratory of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
• OSTI ID: 5987688
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. A; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. A; (United States) Vol. 30:5; ISSN PLRAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640302* -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Atomic & Molecular Properties & Theory
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ACCURACY
ATOMIC IONS
BEAMS
CHARGED PARTICLES
ELECTRODYNAMICS
FIELD THEORIES
HELIUM IONS
ION BEAMS
IONS
LAMB SHIFT
QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
SPECTRAL SHIFT