Observation of an electric quadrupole transition in a negative ion: Experiment and Theory
Abstract
The first direct experimental observation of an electric quadrupole (E2) transition between bound states of an atomic negative ion has been made. The transition was observed in the negative ion of bismuth by resonant (1+1) photodetachment from Bi- 3P2 via excitation of the Bi- 3P0 fine structure state. The E2 transition properties were independently calculated using a hybrid theoretical approach to account for the strong multi-level electron interactions and relativistic effects. The experimental and theoretical results are in excellent agreement, providing valuable new insights into this complex system and forbidden transitions in negative ions.
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