Measurement of a magnetic-dipole transition probability inXe32+using an electron-beam ion trap

Abstract
The transition probability for the 3d45 D2 5 D3 magnetic-dipole transition in Ti-like Xe (Xe32+) has been measured using an electron-beam ion trap. The unusually weak dependence of the transition energy on nuclear charge Z, and the fact that the transition wavelength remains in the 320- to 400-nm range for 54<Z<92, makes this transition promising as a plasma diagnostic tool. Our measurement of the transition probability yields 465(30) s1, corresponding to a lifetime of 2.15(14) ms, in good agreement with the theoretical value of 2.4 ms.