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L-italic- and n-italic-changing processes in the Rydberg states of Li induced by thermal collisions with H/sub 2/, N/sub 2/, CO, and D/sub 2/

Journal Article · · Phys. Rev. A; (United States)

Collisional transfers induced in the n-italic = 6--13 Li Rydberg states by H/sub 2/, N/sub 2/, and CO molecules have been experimentally studied in a heat-pipe oven. The l-italic-mixing cross sections have been deduced from the fast component of the population relaxations following pulsed laser excitation. The order of magnitude of these cross sections (10/sup 3/ A-circle/sup 2/) is well predicted by the existing theories. For large n-italic, the cross sections stay approximately constant. This can be partly explained by the influence of inelastic processes such as n-italic changing. In the particular case of H/sub 2/, n-italic-changing collisions have been identified by the fluorescence starting from the n-italic' = n-italic +- 1, n-italic-2 levels. Cross sections of the order of 10 A-circle/sup 2/ have been measured. The systematic study of the n-italic-changing cross sections as a function of the transferred energy shows some evidence of resonance phenomena corresponding to an energy exchange between the Rydberg electron and the molecular rotation. This effect is also observed when H/sub 2/ is replaced by D/sub 2/. These resonances are well described by the theory of Petitjean and Gounand based on the e-italic-quadrupolar interaction.

Research Organization:
Groupe de Recherche sur l'Energe-acute-accenttique des Milieux Ionise-acute-accents, Universite-acute-accent d'Orle-acute-accentans, 45067 Orle-acute-accentans Ce-acute-accentdex 2, France
OSTI ID:
5522154
Journal Information:
Phys. Rev. A; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. A; (United States) Vol. 34:2; ISSN PLRAA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English