Autoionization cross section of lithium atoms excited by electron impact

We measure the full autoionization cross section of lithium atoms excited by electrons in the energy range from the first autoionization threshold at 56.39 to 600 eV. Data are obtained by determining the total intensity of electron spectrum of autoionization states 1sn ₁ l ₁ n ₂ l ₂ detected at the “magic” observation angle of 54.7°. The cross section behavior is characterized by a sharp increase to a maximum value of 1.7 × 10⁻¹⁸ cm² in the energy interval of 56.4–60 eV and a subsequent monotonic drop to a value of 10⁻¹⁸ cm² at 600 eV. We have discovered a “thin” cross section structure that reflects the presence of strong resonances of Li⁻ ions in the near-threshold area of excitation of the lowest energy autoionization states (1s2s2)2S, (1s2s2p)⁴ P, 1s(2s2p ³ P)² P), and 1s(2s2p ¹ P)² P. We have established that the contribution of autoionization to the absolute cross section of single ionization of lithium atoms does not exceed 4%. We perform a comparative analysis of the data with analogous data for potassium and cesium atoms.     

Inner-shell excitation-ionization in potassium by electron impact

A new autoionization peak in potassium at 20 eV is attributed to excitation of the 3p⁵4s²-levels at 18.72 and 18.98 eV. Metastable ions contribute to the total ionization cross section for energies above 24.4 eV.     

Radiative transitions in the system of autoionizing levels of cesium atoms excited by electron impact

We study the energy dependences of electron excitation cross sections of the autoionizing levels (5p ⁵6s ²)² P _3/2 and (5p ⁵5d(³ P)6s)² P _3/2, as well as the autoionization cross sections of cesium atoms in the impact energy range from the excitation threshold to 600 eV. It is established that an increase in the excitation cross section of the ² P _3/2 levels (to 60% of the maximum value) and the deep minimum in the autoionization cross section observed in the energy region of 17–27 eV are caused by the predominance of the radiative decay channel for autoionizing levels with excitation thresholds above 17 eV. The high efficiency of the process is mainly related to the resonance excitation of these levels in the near-threshold energy region.     

Spectroscopic study of the production of magnesium ions from the atomic metastable states 3s3p 3 P 0, 2 by electron impact

Spectroscopic studies of the production of MgII ions from atomic metastable states by electron impact in crossed atomic and electron beams were made. Cross sections for excitation of the strongest spectral transitions and their energy dependences were determined. The maximum value of the cross section for ionization with excitation of the 3² S _1/2–3² P _3/2 transition reached 2.4×10^?16 cm². Possible mechanisms of production of excited ions from metastable states and their contribution to the total ionization process are discussed.     

Resonances at collisions of slow electrons with cadmium atoms and ions

Using the crossed-beam method and a hypocycloidal electron spectrometer, the energy dependence of the ionization cross section for the cadmium atom has been studied in the near-threshold region and the elastic scattering of slow electrons at an angle close to 180° by Cd⁺ ions was studied for the first time. Within the region under study (0–7 eV above the first atomic ionization potential), a resonance structure determined by the contribution of atomic autoionization states is revealed in both the ionization curve and differential cross section of elastic scattering. The structure in the measured curves has been analyzed with the use of data on the ejected-electron spectra obtained under the excitation of autoionization states of Cd atoms, as well as the data on the optical excitation functions for the atomic spectral lines at λ=430.7 nm (5¹ P ₁-8¹ S ₀), 515.5 nm (5¹ P ₁-7¹ S ₀), 298.0 nm (5³ P ₂-6³ D _j ), and 361.0 nm (5³ P ₂-5³ D _j ).     

Optische Messung der Elektronenstoß-Anregung von Xenon und molekularem Stickstoff im Schwellenbereich mit hoher Energieauflösung

Relative optical excitation functions of Xe and N₂ have been measured in the threshold region. The inciting electron beam had a FWHM of 50 meV. The threshold behaviour of the excitation functions ofp-levels of Xenon is strongly influenced by resonances. The onset is step-like, in some cases resonance structure is to be seen just above threshold. In some excitation functions resonance structure is found immediatly above the ionization limit. This is believed to be caused by two compound states the parent states of which could be the 6d′ and the 8s′ autoionizing state of Xenon. In nitrogen, the excitation functions of two bands of the second positive group have been measured (3371 and 3755 Å), the upper levels of which are thev=0 and thev=1 levels of theC ³Π _u state. The excitation raises linear from threshold. In the 3371 Å excitation function a resonance maximum at 11.50 eV is observed, where the cross section is increased due to resonance population by about 100%, as measured with a FWHM of 50meV of the electron beam. The broad absolute maximums of the excitation functions are found to lie at 14.0±0.1 eV in the case of the 3371 Å- and at 14.3±0.1 eV in the 3755 Å-band.     

The study of autoionizing states of the samarium atom

The investigation of the samarium (Sm) atom autoionizing states, belonging to the 4f⁶ 6pnl and 4f⁵ 5d6snl (l=0, 2) configurations, has been carried out by using a three-step isolated-core-excitation (ICE) scheme. Fifty-seven new autoionizing states of the Sm atom have been observed in the energy region between 60,700 and 66,500 cm^?1. These autoionizing states are classified into five autoionization series in the light of different ionization limits. In most cases, the transition profiles of these autoionizing states are nearly symmetric, from which the peak positions and widths can be easily obtained by Lorentzian-profile-fitting procedure. Some autoionizing states have multi-peak profiles whose spectroscopic properties are analyzed in order to understand the complicated structures.     

类钠铜离子的激发自电离

在扭曲波库仑玻恩交换近似下计算了类钠铜离子２ｐ^６３ｓ＋ｅ^-→２ｐ⁵３ｓ３ｌ＋ｅ^-（ｌ＝０，１，２）的内壳层激发截面．结合单组态近似和组态相互作用两种情况下计算的自电离分支比，计算了上述组态的激发自电离截面．结果表明，在入射电子能量为１０９０ｅＶ时，组态相互作用使２ｐ⁵３ｓ３ｄ总的激发自电离截面增大至单组态近似的近两倍；而使２ｐ⁵３ｓ²组态的激发自电离截面减小为单组态近似的３６％；２ｐ⁵３ｓ３ｐ组态的激发自电离截面只是略有下降 关键词：     

Absolute cross sections of electron attachment to molecular clusters: Part I. Formation of (CO2) N −

A procedure of determining absolute cross section σ^? of electron attachment to (CO₂)_N clusters at pair collisions in crossed beams is suggested. The cross section is measured as a function of energy (E = 0.1–50 eV) and of cluster mean size N in a beam $(\bar N = 2 - 4000 molecules)$ . It is found that, even at $\bar N > 200$ and E ≤ 3 eV, σ^? is equal to, or larger than, 7 × 10^?13 cm², i.e., by more than one order of magnitude exceeds the maximal cross section of CO₂ ionization by electron impact. The dependences σ^? $(\bar N,E)$ have two wide continua at E ≤ 5.2 eV and E ≥ 6.9 eV, which correlate well with known functions of CO₂ electron-impact-induced excitation. These continua are attributed largely to formation of (CO₂) _N ^? ions during electron thermalization and solvation in the clusters. At E → 0, the polarization capture of an incident electron by the cluster leads to a sharp increase in cross section σ^?(E). From the dependences σ^? $(\bar N,E)$ measured, the thermalization and sovation probabilities for electrons with E ≤ 0.8 eV and the rate of electron energy loss in the cluster are found.     

Electron impact ionization cross sections of beryllium and beryllium hydrides

We report calculated electron impact ionization cross sections (EICSs) for beryllium (Be) and some of its hydrides from the ionization threshold to 1 keV using the Deutsch-Märk (DM) and the Binary-Encounter-Bethe (BEB) formalisms. The positions of the maxima of the DM and BEB cross sections are very close in each case while the DM cross section values at the maxima are consistently higher. Our calculations for Be are in qualitative agreement with results from earlier calculations (convergent close-coupling, R matrix, distorted-wave and plane-wave Born approximation) in the low energy region. For the various beryllium hydrides, we know of no other available data. The maximum cross section values for the various compounds range from 4.0 × 10^?16 to 9.4 × 10^?16 cm² at energies of 44 to 56 eV for the DM cross sections and 3.0 × 10^?16 to 5.4 × 10^?16 cm² at energies of 40.5 to 60 eV for the BEB cross sections.     

Ionization function of magnesium for electron impact

Ionization cross sections for electron impact are measured with crossed beams of Mg atoms and pulsed electrons. Total numbers of particles are determined by the light emission of excited atoms. The ionization cross section obtained for electron energies from 7 eV to 60 eV has its maximum valueq _i (max)=7.8 · 10^?16 cm² at 12 eV electron energy.     

Postcollision interaction upon electron excitation of the 5sns 1 S 0 and 5snd 3 D j levels of the cadmium atom

The optical excitation functions (OEFs) for two series of spectral lines of the Cd atom originating from the 5sns ¹ S ₀ (n = 6?11) and 5snd ³ D _{1, 2, 3} (n = 5 and 6) levels excited by an ultramonoenergetic (ΔE _1/2 < 0.05 eV) electron beam with energies exceeding the single ionization threshold are presented. In the energy range from 10.8 to 12.9 eV, the energy dependences of the excitation cross sections of the studied spectral transitions exhibit the effect of postcollision interaction of slow scattered and fast emitted electrons. This process leads to an additional population of the initial levels of the spectral transitions due to the capture of a scattered electron into an excited atomic level. The energies and widths of the electronic decay of autoionizing states are estimated in the classical approach by two methods, namely, by the least squares method and by direct calculation. Calculations are performed using approximate formulas valid for different relations between the postcollision shifts of the OEF maxima and the binding energies of the atomic levels. The terms of the autoionizing atomic states responsible for the maxima observed in the OEFs of the spectral transitions are determined.     

Resonances at slow electron collisions with zinc atoms and ions

The optical excitation functions of four spectral lines corresponding to the transitions from the 4¹ D ₂, 5³ S ₁, 4³ D _j, and 6¹ S ₀ levels of atomic Zn were investigated with an electron spectrometer of a new construction. For the first time, elastic scattering of slow electrons from the Zn ions at an angle close to 180° was studied. In the energy range under investigation (0–7 eV), both the optical excitation functions of atomic spectral lines and the differential cross section of elastic scattering manifested the resonant structure caused by the contribution of autoionization states of the atom.     

Near-threshold electron-impact ionization of calcium atoms

The electron-impact ionization of calcium atoms is studied in the near-threshold energy range (from 6.11 to 16 eV). Experiments were performed by the method of intersecting electron and atomic beams with the recording of formed positive calcium ions. The electron beam (ΔE _1/2 = 0.15 eV) was formed using a hypocycloidal electron monochromator. An analysis of the specific features of ionization cross sections revealed a contribution from the excitation and decay of low-lying autoionization atomic states, which converge to the excitation thresholds of the 3d, 4p, and 5s ionic levels, and resonances (long-lived states of negative ions). The specific features of cross sections are identified using the experimental and theoretical data on photoionization (photoabsorption).     

Study of postcollision interaction upon electron-impact excitation of the magnesium atom

The excitation functions of the spectral lines of the MgI principal series in the VUV region (for the principal quantum numbers n = 4–7) are studied in experiments on collisions of electrons with magnesium atoms in the range of electron energies from the excitation thresholds to ～25 eV. The scatter in the electron energy was ～0.7 eV. Above the ionization potential, some singularities attributed to autodetachment and autoionization states were found in excitation functions. Shifts to higher energies with increasing n, which take place for the most significant singularity (maximum) relative to the autoionization state 3p4s ¹ P ₁ ^o , are explained by the important role played by this state in the population of the initial levels through the mechanism of post-collision interaction. The theoretical analysis of the experimental results based on the classical model of the postcollision interaction estimates the width of the autoionization state as ～0.45 eV, which is close to the data of other researchers.     

On the bound states in the muonic molecular ions

Absolute cross sections for electron impact ionization and dissociation of OH⁺ and OD⁺ leading to the formation of the OH²⁺, O⁺, O²⁺, O³⁺ and D⁺ ions have been measured by applying the animated electron-ion beam method in the energy range from the respective reaction thresholds up to 2.5 keV. The maximum of the single ionization cross section is found to be (0.95? ± ?0.02) × 10^?19 cm² at 155 eV. The maximum total cross sections for O⁺ and D⁺ fragments production are observed to be (15.7? ± ?0.2) × 10^?17 cm² at 95 eV and (10.8? ± ?0.5) × 10^?17 cm² at 95 eV, respectively. The cross sections for O²⁺ and O³⁺ are much smaller, (5.37? ± ?0.04) × 10^-18 cm² at 135 eV and (7.95? ± ? 0.23) × 10^-20 cm² at 315 eV, respectively. The collected data are analyzed in details in order to determine separately the contributions of dissociative excitation and of dissociative ionization to the O⁺ and D⁺ fragments production.     

On the interaction of an electron with a nonspherical atom

A three-stage scheme for the excitation of the autoionization state of europium atoms is realized, and the corresponding ionization cross section is determined: σ=6.5×10^?10 cm². Analytical signals from europium atoms are recorded in standard and waste water solutions used in mining noble metals and in the diagnostics of rare-earth elements.     

Charge exchange and excitation cross sections at collisions of alpha particles with be-like impurity oxygen ions in a plasma

The charge exchange and excitation cross sections at collisions of alphas with O⁴⁺(1s ²2s ²) impurity atoms in a hot plasma for striking energies E _c varying from 20 keV to 2 MeV are determined for the first time. The cross sections are calculated using the method of close-coupling equations with 13 singlet four-electron quasi-molecular states taken as a basis. The partial cross sections of charge transfer to the 1s, 2s, and 2p states of a He⁺ ion and for O⁴⁺(1s ²2s ²) → O⁴⁺(1s ²2lnl’) (n = 2, 3) electronic excitation of an oxygen ion are found. The maximal value of the charge exchange total cross section roughly equals 2.2 × 10^?16 cm² at E _c ≈ 0.7 MeV. The excitation total cross section has a maximum of ≈ 7.7 × 10^?16 cm² at E _c ≈ 80 keV for single-electron excitation and ≈6.5 × 10^?16 cm² at E _c ≈ 0.7 MeV for two-electron excitation.     

Multistep excitation of autoionizing states of the samarium atom

In this work, 4f ⁶6pnl and 4f ⁵5d6snl (l=0,2) autoionizing states of the samarium (Sm) atom, especially those with lower principal quantum number, have been studied, using the isolated-core excitation scheme with three dye lasers. In the energy region between 57 990 and 61 030 cm⁻¹, there are 74 autoionizing states of the Sm atom observed. These states can be classified into the autoionization series converging to four different ionization limits. In most cases, the line shapes of these autoionizing states are nearly symmetric, from which the level energies and widths can be easily obtained by fitting the experimental spectra to the Lorentzian profiles. In addition, several spectroscopic properties of these autoionizing states, such as configuration interaction, are also discussed.     

Spectroscopic investigation on thallium 6s6p 2 configuration at electron-atom collisions: II. Excitation functions

We have measured the excitation functions of the Tl I 221.1, 258.0, and 231.6 nm lines having clearly pronounced features above the ionization potential. The nature of these features, including the resonance mechanism and postcollisional interaction with the participation of autoionizing states of the 6s6p ² configuration, has been discussed. A high-energy feature (at 12.7 eV) revealed in the excitation function of the 221.1 nm line is associated with the shape resonance formed at excitation of the autoionizing state of the configuration 6p ³.