A thermal beam of metastable krypton atoms produced by optical excitation.
A room-temperature beam of krypton atoms in the metastable 5s[3/2]{sub 2} level is demonstrated via an optical excitation method. A Kr-discharge lamp is used to produce vacuum ultraviolet photons at 124 nm for the first-step excitation from the ground level 4p{sup 6} {sup 1}S{sub 0} to the 5s[3/2]{sub 1} level. An 819 nm Ti:sapphire laser is used for the second-step excitation from 5s[3/2]{sub 1} to 5s[3/2]{sub 2} followed by a spontaneous decay to the 5s[3/2]{sub 2} metastable level. A metastable atomic beam with an angular flux density of 3 x 10{sup 14} s{sup -1} sr{sup -1} is achieved at the total gas flow rate of 0.01 cm{sup 3}/s at STP (or 3 x 10{sup 17} at./s). The dependences of the flux on the gas flow rate, laser power, and lamp parameters are investigated.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 944032
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/PHY/JA-57500; RSINAK; TRN: US0900504
- Journal Information:
- Rev. Sci. Instrum., Vol. 78, Issue Feb. 8, 2007; ISSN 0034-6748
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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