Measurement of the lifetimes of the $7p \: ^2P_{3/2}$ and $7p \: ^2P_{1/2}$ states of atomic cesium

We report time-correlated measurements of the lifetimes of the $7p{\\phantom{\\rule{0.222222em}{0ex}}}^{2}{P}_{3/2}$ and $7p{\\phantom{\\rule{0.222222em}{0ex}}}^{2}{P}_{1/2}$ states of atomic cesium. The results of these measurements are ${\\ensuremath{\\tau}}_{3/2}=137.54\\phantom{\\rule{4pt}{0ex}}(16)$ ns and ${\\ensuremath{\\tau}}_{1/2}=165.21\\phantom{\\rule{4pt}{0ex}}(19)$ ns. We use these lifetimes, together with other previously determined electric dipole matrix elements of $^{133}\\mathrm{Cs}$, to determine the matrix elements $\\ensuremath{\\langle}5d{\\phantom{\\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{D}_{5/2}\\ensuremath{\\parallel}r\\ensuremath{\\parallel}7p{\\phantom{\\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{P}_{3/2}\\ensuremath{\\rangle}, \\ensuremath{\\langle}5d{\\phantom{\\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{D}_{3/2}\\ensuremath{\\parallel}r\\ensuremath{\\parallel}7p{\\phantom{\\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{P}_{3/2}\\ensuremath{\\rangle}$, and $\\ensuremath{\\langle}5d{\\phantom{\\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{D}_{3/2}\\ensuremath{\\parallel}r\\ensuremath{\\parallel}7p{\\phantom{\\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{P}_{1/2}\\ensuremath{\\rangle}$. These matrix elements are in good agreement with, but of higher precision than, calculated values of these same matrix elements.