Lifetime and collisional depopulation of the metastable 5D 3/2-state of Yb+

The lifetime and collisional depopulation rates of the metastable 5D 3/2 state of Yb+ have been determined in a radiofrequency ion trap by observation of the fluorescence count rate after ion excitation by a short laser pulse. From measurements using He, N2 and H2 as buffer gases between 10−8 and 10−6 mbar pressure and linear extrapolation to zero pressure we obtain a lifetime of τ=52.15±1.00 ms and rate constants ofR(H2)=(1.02±0.10)×10−9 cm3/s andR(N2)=(1.78±0.19)×10−10 cm3/s. The lifetime is in fair agreement with a calculated value of 74 ms.