Lifetime of the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msup><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msub><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">S</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>1</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math> state of heliumlike xenon (<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msup><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">Xe</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>5</mn><mn>2</mn><mo>+</mo></mrow></msup></mrow></math>)

Richard Marrus; Pierre Charles; Paul Indelicato; Lucile de Billy; Chakib Tazi; Jean-Pierre Briand; Alexandre Simionovici; Daniel D. Dietrich; Fritz Bosch; Dieter Liesen

doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.39.3725

Rapid Communication

Lifetime of the $2^{3}$ $S_{1}$ state of heliumlike xenon ( ${Xe}^{52 +}$ )

Richard Marrus, Pierre Charles, Paul Indelicato, Lucile de Billy, Chakib Tazi, Jean-Pierre Briand, Alexandre Simionovici, Daniel D. Dietrich, Fritz Bosch, and Dieter Liesen

Phys. Rev. A 39, 3725(R) – Published 1 April 1989

Abstract

A precision measurement has been made of the lifetime of the $2^{3}$ $S_{1}$ state of ${Xe}^{52 +}$ by beam-foil time-of-flight spectroscopy. The result is τ ${(2}^{3}$ $S_{1}$ )=2.554(76)× $10^{- 12}$ sec, in agreement with theortical calculations. This measurement provides the most precise test of the theory of relativistic M1 decay and is sensitive for the first time to corrections of O(Zα $)^{2}$ to the leading term.