HYPERFINE-STRUCTURE OF 2(3)P LEVELS OF HELIUM-LIKE IONS

A systematic calculation of the hyperfine structure of 2 P-3 levels of heliumlike ions is presented. Reduced matrix elements of the magnetic -dipole hyperfine operator between substates of the 2 P-1,P-3 states a re evaluated using relativistic configuration-interaction wave functio ns that account for both Coulomb and Breit interactions. These matrix elements, together with the energy intervals Delta E(10)=E(2(3)P(1))-E (2 P-3(0)), Delta E(20)=E(2 P-3(2))-E(2 P-3(0)), and Delta E(st)=E(2 P -1(1))-E(2 P-3(0)), are tabulated for ions with nuclear charges in the range Z=2-100. For Z=2, the matrix elements are in close agreement wi th precise nonrelativistic variational calculations, but as Z increase s from 2 to 10, the present values deviate smoothly from the variation al values owing to relativistic corrections. Applications are given to determine the hyperfine structure of He-3, Li-6,7(+), Be-9(2+), and F -19(7+). Hyperfine quenching rates of 2 P-3(0) states are calculated u sing a radiation-damping formalism for all stable isotopes in the rang e Z=6-92. Quenching rates of 2 P-3(2) states are also calculated for s elected ions. For Z=9-29, the 2 P-3(0) quenching rates are in good agr eement with relativistic 1/Z calculations. For Z>40, the diagonal hype rfine matrix elements disagree in sign with previously published multi configuration Dirac-Fock values. In view of these differences, the pre sent matrix elements are used to reevaluate the fine-structure interva ls Delta E(10) inferred from hyperfine quenching experiments for the i ons Ni26+, Ag45+, and Gd62+.