Laser-Spectroscopic Measurement of Subnanosecond Fluorescence Lifetime of Na 3P Level in Atmoshperic N₂ Gas

Abstract

We present the collisional quenching lifetime of Na 3P level in atmospheric N 2 gas measured by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. This method is a combination of a mode-locked dye laser and a single-photon counting system. The measured lifetime is 0.15±0.02 ns at 800 Torr of N 2 , and depends linearly on N 2 gas pressure below this pressure.