Determination of Lifetimes for Multiply Charged Heavy Ions Excited in Collisions with Light Gases

Abstract
A technique is presented for determining average radiative lifetimes of multiply charged heavy ions which are predominantly excited in collisions with light gas atoms. The method utilizes the measurement of ionic charge-state distributions as a function of target density. Average lifetimes ranging from more than 65 to 0.76 nsec have been determined for chlorine ions with charge states + 1 to + 6, respectively.