Fluorescence lifetime is a unique property of atoms and molecules which can be used in many applications such as medical imaging, and also teaches us more about light-matter interactions in different media. When energy in the form of a photon hits a particle, the energy is absorbed and an electron on the particle enters an excited state. After a certain period of time, the electron naturally relaxes back to a lower energy state, emitting a new photon. This time between excitation and emission is known as the lifetime. Using laser-induced fluorescence and time-resolved spectroscopic techniques, our group is in the process of experimentally measuring the lifetime of the 6sSg+ excited state of diatomic Lithium molecules. As a result of certain restrictions on the transition, we need to use two separate lasers, known as a double resonance setup, and excite through an intermediate state (AsSu+) before reaching our final state. At this point, we have found the theoretical background information and begun to measure the lifetime of the AsSu+ state of these Lithium molecules, which is a vital step before proceeding on to measuring the lifetime of the 6sSg+ state.
Author(s): Henry Pierce, Burcin Bayram, Kshitiz Rai, Caden McCollum
Advisor(s): Burcin Bayram, Department of Physics
Kshitiz Rai, Department of Physics
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