Total rates of nuclear capture of negative muons in the isotopes 132Xe and 40Ar

The lifetimes of a negative muon in the isotopes 132Xe and 40Ar in the solid phase are measured. The lifetime of μ− in the 1s state of the isotope 132Xe is τ(132Xe)=101.7±1.7 ns, which corresponds to a total nuclear capture rate Λc(132Xe)=9.4±0.2 μs−1. The lifetime of μ− in the isotope 40Ar, viz., τ (40Ar)=568±6 ns, corresponding to a capture rate Λc(40Ar)=1.31±0.01 μs−1, is obtained to several times better accuracy as compared to previously published results.