Radiative lifetimes and collisional deactivation rate constants of excited Ne(2p /sup 5/ 3p) states

Journal Article · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1980 · J. Chem. Phys.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5412107

Chang, R S.F.; Setser, D W

The radiative decay and collisional deactivation of eight of the ten neutral atomic neon (2p /sup 5/ 3p) levels have been studied. Neon metastable atoms were generated by a hollow-cathode discharge in a flowing afterglow apparatus and were optically pumped by a pulsed tunable dye laser to selected p states; the decay rates then were determined as a function of neon pressure from 1--8 Torr by analyzing the decay of spontaneous emission from the excited level. The radiative lifetimes of these eight p states have been measured with an uncertainty of +- 3%. These lifetimes were combined with the radiative branching ratios from a given p level to assign absolute transition probabilities for the Ne(3p--3s) transitions. Two-body deactivation of the Ne(3p) states by collisions with ground state neon atoms have rate constants in the range of 1--5 x 10/sup -11/ cm/sup 3/ atom/sup -1/ sec/sup -1/. Intramultiplet relaxation is the dominant quenching mechanism for the p/sub 3/, p/sub 4/, p/sub 5/, p/sub 6/, p/sub 7/, and p/sub 8/ levels. However, for p/sub 9/ intermultiplet and intramultiplet relaxation are competitive and for p/sub 2/ and p/sub 10/ intermultiplet relaxation is dominant. The relaxation mechanism of these excited Ne(3p) states is discussed.

• Research Organization: Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506
• OSTI ID: 5412107
• Journal Information: J. Chem. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Chem. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 72:7; ISSN JCPSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640302* -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Atomic & Molecular Properties & Theory
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOM COLLISIONS
ATOM-ATOM COLLISIONS
COLLISIONS
DE-EXCITATION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITED STATES
KINETICS
LIFETIME
METASTABLE STATES
NEON
NONMETALS
RARE GASES