MEASUREMENT OF THE K-X-RAY-INTENSITY RATIOS IN MUONIC HYDROGEN AT LOWGAS DENSITIES

Measurements of the K X-ray transitions of muonic hydrogen (mu(-)p and mu(-)d) were performed at H-2 or D-2 gas pressures between 17 and 533 hPa (T approximate to 293 K). The intensity ratios K-alpha/K-total an d K-beta/K-total depend on the gas density because the strength of exc ited state collisional interactions increases at higher densities. The data are compared with the results of a cascade calculation. They are sensitive to the collisional Stark mixing rates at the main quantum l evels n = 4,...,8. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.