Absolute Measurement of the Relativistic Magnetic Dipole Transition Energy in Heliumlike Argon

Absolute Measurement of the Relativistic Magnetic Dipole Transition Energy in Heliumlike Argon

Citation:: Amaro, Pedro, Sophie Schlesser, Mauro Guerra, Eric-Olivier Le Bigot, Jean-Michel Isac, Pascal Travers, Jose Paulo Santos, Csilla Szabo, Alexandre Gumberidze, and Paul Indelicato. "Absolute Measurement of the Relativistic Magnetic Dipole Transition Energy in Heliumlike Argon." Physical Review Letters 109 (2012): 043005.

Abstract:

The 1s2s 3S1 - 1s2 1S0 relativistic magnetic dipole transition in heliumlike argon, emitted by the plasma of an electron-cyclotron resonance ion source, has been measured using a double-flat crystal x-ray spectrometer. Such a spectrometer, used for the first time on a highly charged ion transition, provides absolute (reference-free) measurements in the x-ray domain. We find a transition energy of 3104.1605(77) eV (2.5 ppm accuracy). This value is the most accurate, reference-free measurement done for such a transition and is in good agreement with recent QED predictions.

Notes:

PTDC/FIS/117606/2010