Reactions of excited atoms and molecules with atoms and molecules

Penning electron distributions arising from the ionization of Na and K by He (1s 2s ^1,3 S)-metastables in thermal collisions, as well as the absolute cross section for Penning ionization of Na by He (2³ S) and relative cross sections for ionization of Na and K by He(2¹ S) and He(2³ S) are measured. It is shown that under fairly general conditions the well depth ε* of the interaction potential between the metastable and the target particle can be obtained directly from the measured electron distributions. ε*-values are reported for the moleules He(1s 2s ^1,3 S)-Na(² S), K(² S) (^2,2Ω), and for He(1s 2s ^1,3 S)-Hg(¹ S)(^1,3Ω). These latter values are obtained from previously published measurements and are to be considered preliminary. Further, additional evidence is given, that Penning ionization with metastables is an electron exchange process.