Electron-impact excitation of the rare-gas atoms to high-Rydberg states
High-Rydberg atoms are produced by an electron beam passing through each of the rare gases at approx.10/sup -6/ Torr and are detected by electric field ionization after traveling 20.1 cm at thermal velocity. Their principal quantum number (n) distributions, time-of-flight distributions, absolute excitation cross sections sigma/sub T//sup ex/, and excitation functions are measured. The atoms detected have n ranging from 20--80 with the most probable n varying with the gas from 28--46. From the measured sigma/sub T//sup ex/ an apparatus-independent absolute cross section sigma/sup ex/(n,E) =sigma/sup ex/(n=1,E)/n/sup 3/, is determined. Values of sigma/sup ex/(n=1,E) range from 0.5--5 A/sup 2/ at an incident electron energy E=100 eV. Ne and Ar measurements taken for different values of electron current and gas density demonstrate that low-angular-momentum (l) high-Rydberg atoms collide with electrons and/or ground-state atoms, causing higher-l states to be populated. The l-changing cross section for collisions with electrons is estimated to be approx.10/sup 6/ A/sup 2/ for Ne and Ar.
- Research Organization:
- Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974
- OSTI ID:
- 6092564
- Journal Information:
- Phys. Rev., A; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev., A; (United States) Vol. 20:1; ISSN PLRAA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Collision Phenomena
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ARGON
ATOM COLLISIONS
BEAMS
COLLISIONS
CORRECTIONS
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELECTRON-ATOM COLLISIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
EXCITED STATES
KRYPTON
LEPTON BEAMS
NEON
NONMETALS
PARTICLE BEAMS
RARE GASES
RYDBERG CORRECTION
XENON