Measuring the branching ratios from the y8P9/2 state to metastable states in europium

We measure the branching ratios from the y8P9/2 excited state to six metastable states of europium through fluorescence spectroscopy of an atomic beam. The sum of the six branching ratios is estimated to be 1.05(2)×10−3. This research provides us with insightful information to determine the feasibility of using the a8S7/2−y8P9/2 transition in order to implement the Zeeman slowing for europium atoms in the ground state. Based on this result, we also propose a scheme for Zeeman slowing and magneto-optical trapping, using a specific metastable state which has a cyclic transition.