Lifetime Measurements in Sn<scp>ii</scp>

Abstract

Lifetime measurements are reported for levels arising from the 5s25d and 5s24f configurations in Sn II. Measured decay curves were jointly analyzed using the Arbitrarily Normalized Decay Curve (ANDC) method to remove the effects of cascade repopulation from the determination of the lifetimes of the 5s25d2D3/2 level. The branching ratio of the decay of this level to the ground term fine-structure levels 2P1/2 and 2P3/2 was carefully measured, and we have obtained an accurate value for the absorption oscillator strength of the resonance transition to this level at 1400.52 Å. The results are discussed in the context of interpreting vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectra observed with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope.