Lifetime measurement of the 3d9 2D3/2 metastable level in Mo15+ at an electron beam ion trap

Abstract

An experimental measurement of the lifetime of 3d9 2D3/2 metastable level in Mo15+ is reported in this work. The Mo15+ ions are produced and trapped in an electron beam ion trap with a magnetic field of 0.65 T. The decay photons emitted from 3d9 2D3/2 level are subsequently recorded via a cooled photomultiplier tube. Through meticulous scrutiny of potential systematic uncertainties affecting the measurement outcomes, we have determined the lifetime of Mo15+ 3d9 2D3/2 metastable level to be 2.83(22) ms. The experimental result provides a clear distinguishment from existing calculations based on various theoretical approaches.