Accurate experimental lifetimes of excited levels in sodiumlike sulfur, S VI

Abstract:
The lifetimes of the terms 3p2P, 3d2D, 4s2S, 4p2P, 4d2D, 4f2F, 5g2G, 6g2G, 6h2H, 7h2H, 7i2I and 8k2K in sodiumlike sulfur, S VI, have been determined using the beam-foil excitation technique. Most of the decay curves were analyzed by means of the ANDC method which corrects for cascading in a very detailed way. Accurate results were thereby obtained which show that an excellent agreement exists between experimental and theoretical values. Some previously noted disagreements between the results of beam-foil experiments and theoretical investigations are explained as being due to less accurate analyses of the experimental data.