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Resonant laser excitation of Yb ions confined in an rf ion trap is found to result in perfect population trapping in the highly metastable ^2F₇/₂ state. The lifetime of this level is measured to be greater than 8 days. Population and depopulation of this level under narrow- and broad-band laser excitation conditions is investigated and its potentiality for ultimate-resolution laser spectroscopy indicated.
Lehmitz et al. (Mon,) studied this question.