Electron Branching Ratios Following Autoionization of the Ba 6pns States

The excitation spectra and branching ratios of ejected electrons of the Ba 6pns(J = 1) autoionizing states are measured using multistep laser excitation scheme and time-of-flight electron spectroscopy. The energy dependence of branching ratios of the Ba+ 6s state on energy is determined for the low-lying 6p1/2,3/2ns states, and compared with a previous R-matrix calculation.