Time-resolved Fourier-transform spectroscopy was applied to the study of the emission spectra of Cu vapours in a vacuum (10 −2 Torr) produced in ablation of a Cu metal target by a high-repetition rate (1.0 kHz) pulsed nanosecond ArF laser (λ = 193 nm, output energy of 15 mJ). The time-resolved infrared emission spectrum of Cu was recorded in the 1800-3800 cm −1 spectral region with a resolution of 0.017 cm −1 . The time profiles of the measured lines have maxima at 18-20 μs after a laser shot and display non-exponential decay with a decay time of 5-15 μs. This study reports 17 lines (uncertainty 0.0003-0.018 cm −1 ) of Cu I not previously observed. This results in seven newly-found levels and revised energy values for 11 known levels (uncertainty 0.01-0.03 cm −1 ). We also calculate transition probabilities and oscillator strengths for several transitions involving the reported Cu levels.

The method of reduced-added Green's function in quantum defect approximation ͓V. E. Chernov, D. L. Dorofeev, I. Yu. Kretinin, and B. A. Zon, Phys. Rev. A 71, 022505 ͑2005͔͒ is generalized for calculation of dynamic polarizabilities of nonpolar molecules. The method is applied to alkali-metal dimers Li 2 , Na 2 , and Rb 2 . The accuracy achieved in benchmark calculation ͑H 2 molecule͒ is comparable to that of ab initio calculations. 1 It was considered for a long time that QDT description is successful only for one electron over complete shells, e.g., for alkalimetal-like atoms and ions. After an error in earlier QDT has been corrected in Ref. ͓14͔, the modified QDT is capable to treat optical electron states in any complex atom. The wave function of such a state is determined by the QDs of the whole spectral series ͑not only by the QD of the given state͒.

No abstract