Radiative lifetime and transition probabilities in CdI and CdII -: art. no. 042508

Radiative lifetimes of 11 levels belonging to the 5s5p P-1(1)o 5snd D-3(1,2) (n=6-9) and 5sns S-3(1) (n=7,8) series of Cd I, and of 5 levels of Cd II (i.e., 4d(10)5p P-2(1/2.3/2)o, 4d(10)6s S-2(1/2), and 4d(10)5d D-2(3/2,5/2)) have been measured using the time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence technique. Free neutral and singly ionized cadmium atoms have been generated by laser ablation. Single- or two-step excitation processes were considered to populate the levels under study. Branching fractions of Cd II transitions have been measured by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Transition probabilities and oscillator strengths for Cd I and Cd II spectral lines originating from the above states as well as from the 4d(9)5 s(22)D(3/2,5/2) states of Cd II have been deduced by combining the experimental lifetimes and theoretical branching fractions obtained in multiconfigurational relativistic Hartree-Fock calculations taking core-polarization effects into account.