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Transitions between highly excited states of an atom when a neutral particle moves near its core

Journal Article · · Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States)
OSTI ID:5457193
Transitions are investigated between highly excited states of an atom, accompanied by a change of principal quantum number and caused by a collision between a neutral particle and an atomic residue (core). Such transitions of a Rydberg electron are due to the action exerted on it by inertial forces when the core moves with acceleration, and are also caused by interaction with the dipole moment due to the redistribution of the density of the inner electrons in the course of the particle collision. The state of the inner electrons does not change in the transitions. The mechanism considered is most effective when the potential of the interaction between the neutral particle and the atomic core of the highly excited atom has a deep well and a large value of the lower vibrational quantum. This situation is realized, for example, in relaxation of Rydberg states of hydrogen H(n) in collisions with helium atoms He(1s/sup 2/). It is shown that the cross sections and rates of the n..-->..n' transitions are determined in this case by the mechanism investigated in the paper, and not by scattering of a weakly bound electron by the neutral particle, as is the case for nl..-->..nl' transitions with change of only the orbital momentum.
Research Organization:
P. N. Lebedev Physics Institute, USSR Academy of Sciences
OSTI ID:
5457193
Journal Information:
Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 57:5; ISSN SPHJA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English