Rotational transitions in the excitation of electronic states of molecules by electron impact
An estimate of the probability of rotational transitions in the excitation of electronic states of a molecule by electron impact near threshold is proposed. The zero radius potential (or the separable potential) approximation is initially used in the adiabatic approximation in the molecular rotation. Then additional arguments are presented in favor of the generality of the estimate obtained, which is analogous to the Franck-Condon principle, but pertains to rotational transitions. In particular, for the excitation of the /sup 3/Pi/sub u//sup -/ state of the H/sub 2/ and D/sub 2/ molecules, when a change of the rotational quantum number of the molecule must be even in accordance to the rigorous selection rules, the rotational momentum of the molecule practically cannot change at incident electron energies which are not too great. This makes it possible to explain the experimental data on the population of the rotational sublevels of excited electron-vibrational states of molecules in a low-pressure gas discharge plasma and to base the method of determining the gas temperature of this plasma on measurements of the relative distribution of the intensities in the rotational structure of the molecular bands.
- Research Organization:
- A. A. Zhdanov Leningrad State University
- OSTI ID:
- 5909542
- Journal Information:
- Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 49:5; ISSN SPHJA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Mechanism for production of nonequilibrium rotational level populations of molecules in plasmas. I. Theoretical model
Excitation of electron-vibrational-rotational levels of hydrogen molecules by electron impact in a nonequilibrium gas-discharge plasma
Related Subjects
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Collision Phenomena
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ADIABATIC APPROXIMATION
COLLISIONS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DEUTERIUM
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELECTRON-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
EXCITED STATES
FLUIDS
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MOLECULE COLLISIONS
NONMETALS
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PROBABILITY
QUANTUM NUMBERS
ROTATIONAL STATES
SELECTION RULES
STABLE ISOTOPES