Measurement of lithium and sodium metastable quartet atoms in a hollow-cathode discharge

Abstract

We report the measurement, in a pulsed hollow-cathode discharge, of metastable quartet atoms of Li and Na. By using a tunable probe laser, population densities of 3x10(10) atoms cm(-3) and 10(11) atoms cm(-3) were measured in the Li(1s2s2p)4P degrees and Na(2p(5)3s3p)(4)D(7/2) levels, respectively. These levels are candidates for energy storage for extreme-ultraviolet lasers.