Abstract
Results of an investigation of collisional deexcitation of the metastable state in atomic ytterbium by helium and neon buffer gases are reported. We find upper limits for the quenching cross sections to be and The small cross sections may allow an ytterbium parity nonconservation experiment to be performed in a vapor cell. We have also measured the pressure broadening and shift of the and transitions by helium and neon.
- Received 16 February 1999
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.60.1103
©1999 American Physical Society