Measurement of lifetimes and tensor polarizabilities of odd-parity states of atomic samarium

A systematic measurement of the lifetimes and tensor polarizabilities of the lowest-lying odd-parity levels of Sm I was performed. The lifetimes were measured by detecting time-resolved fluorescence following pulsed-laser excitation of atoms in an atomic beam; polarizabilities were measured employing the method of Stask-induced quantum beats. An analysis of the data is undertaken to find the best even-parity candidate states for an atomic electric dipole moment (EDM) measurement. For the most favorable candidate state ((7)G(1)), the electron EDM enhancement factor is evaluated to be in the range \R\approximate to 100-3800. Critical analysis of the present data along with earlier results in Sm shows the necessity of a term reassignment for several odd-parity states. This term reassignment is also used in an estimate of the parity-nonconserving F-7(0)-(7)G(1) amplitude. [S1050-2947(99)10405-0].