Experimental study on the ( mu /sup 4/He)/sub 2S//sup +/ metastable system in helium gas

The authors report the results of an experimental investigation on the properties of the ( mu He)/sub 2S//sup +/ metastable muonic system, which was performed stopping negative muons in a pure helium target at pressures ranging from 10 to 50 atm, and observing the total yield and the differential time distribution of the X-rays released in delayed coincidence with the arrival of muons. At each pressure P, information was obtained on the following quantities: a) the total disappearance rate lambda /sub 2S, tot/(P) of the ( mu He)/sub 2S//sup +/ system, b) the disappearance rates lambda /sub A/(P) and lambda /sub St/(P) of the ( mu He)/sub 2S//sup +/ system for external Auger effect and Stark-mixing collisions. (35 refs).