| Issue |
Europhys. Lett.
Volume 35, Number 2, July II 1996
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 85 - 90 | |
| Section | Atomic, molecular and optical physics | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1209/epl/i1996-00536-9 | |
| Published online | 01 September 2002 | |
Measurement of the atomic Na(3P) lifetime and of retardation in the interaction between two atoms bound in a molecule
Atomic Physics
Division, PHYS A-167, National Institute of Standards and Technology,
Gaithersburg, MD 20899 USA
Received:
3
May
1996
Accepted:
20
May
1996
From molecular spectroscopy of the 
purely long-range 
state we determine the 
lifetime and measure the
predicted but previously unobserved effect of retardation in the
interaction between two atoms. Our lifetime 
helps to remove a longstanding discrepancy between experiment and theory.
Electron cloud overlap is unimportant in the state (
) and the spectrum is calculated, ab initio, from atomic
properties. By measuring the binding energies the
120 MHz correction due to retardation of the resonant-dipole R-3
interaction is confirmed.
PACS: 32.70.Fw – Absolute and relative intensities / 32.80.Pj – Optical cooling of atoms; trapping / 34.20.Cf – Interatomic potentials and forces
© EDP Sciences, 1996
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