Electron-impact excitation cross sections for neon

An analytic atomic independent particle model adjusted to experimental single-particle energy levels is used to generate wavefunctions for the excited states of neon. Using these wavefunctions in conjunction with the Born approximation and the Russell-Saunders LS-coupling scheme, we calculate generalized oscillator strengths and cross sections for electron-impact excitation of neon from the 2p⁶(¹ S ₀) ground state.     

Elastic scattering of metastable He(21,3 S) atoms by Na(32 S) atoms at 68 meV

The spectroscopy of metastable states is used to make the first experimental measurement of the total differential elastic-scattering cross sections of metastable helium atoms in 2³ S and 2¹ S states by sodium atoms in the ground state at interaction energy 68 meV in the center-of-mass system. To analyze the experimental data, the partial scattering phases are calculated using the method of phase functions in the optical potential approximation. The analysis makes it possible to give a more detailed interpretation of the structure of the differential cross section. The computed integral cross sections, specifically, Penning ionization, diffusion, viscosity, and spin exchange are discussed.     

Chemi-ionization and spin exchange upon collisions of metastable helium atoms with potassium atoms in the ground state

The spin exchange and chemi-ionization cross sections have been calculated for the metastable helium atom-potassium atom system in the ground state. The data on the spin exchange cross section in the system He(2³ S ₁)-K(4² S _1/2) have been obtained for the first time. The cross sections were calculated for the collision energies ranging from 2 × 10^?4 to 60 × 10^?4 au The chemi-ionization cross sections obtained have been compared with the data in the literature.     

An investigation of the energy exchange mechanisms involving the 23S metastable level in an RF helium plasma

The energy exchange mechanisms present in a pure helium and a helium-neon plasma were investigated using spectroscopic diagnostic techniques. The plasma was spatially resolved and only the volume element at the plasma centerline was considered in the energy- exchange analysis. The experiment was conducted with a constant total pressure of 0·7 torr, a fixed oscillator frequency of 4 MHz, and a constant input power of 1·8 kW. Emission line spectroscopy was used to determine the population densities of 16 levels in the n³S, n³P, and n³D series. Spatially resolved, self-absorption measurements of the 2³P-2³S transition were used to determine the 2³S metastable level number density. The electron number density of 3·3 × 10¹³ cm^-3 was determined from the spatially resolved H_β blue wing profile, and a lower bound excitation temperature of 8800 °K was determined from a Boltzmann plot of the spatially resolved lower bound levels of the excited helium. The addition of 10% and 20% by volume of neon gas caused a measurable decrease in the population densities of the lower bound levels of helium, while the electron number density and lower bound excitation temperature remained unchanged. Three energy exchange models (local thermal equilibrium, corona, and collisional- radiative) were examined, and the collisional-radiative model was found to best describe the excitation processes for the 2³S level. This model was also appropriate for describing the helium-neon plasma at this level.     

Angular distribution and polarization of photons during resonant above-threshold scattering on an atom

The effect of the resonant structure in the continuous spectrum induced by an external laser field due to the coupling of continuum states with the 1s4s ¹ S level in helium on cross sections of elastic and inelastic scattering of probe radiation on an atom in the metastable 1s2s ¹ S state at an energy above the ionization threshold is theoretically studied. Explicit expressions for the angular distribution and the degree of polarization of scattered photons as functions of probe and laser radiation characteristics are derived in the rotating wave approximation. Frequency, angular, and polarization dependences of the cross sections of scattering into final 1s ^{2 1} S, ¹ s2s ¹ S, and 1s4s ¹ S atomic states are calculated.     

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.     

Electron impact optical excitation of helium-like ions in Coulomb-Glauber approximation

The Coulomb-Glauber approximation is applied to evaluate the electron-impact excitation integrated cross sections for 1¹ S —n ¹ P (n=2, 3) transitions in helium-like ions, C⁴⁺, N⁵⁺, O⁶⁺ and Ne⁸⁺. The results are presented in terms of scaled collision strengthn ³ Z ² k _i ² σ and scaled integrated cross-sectionZ ⁴σ. Our values when compared with other available theoretical results are found to be larger than the Coulomb-Born and distorted wave polarised orbital (DWPO) values.     

Precision measurements of optical excitation functions for the cadmium atom

An experimental setup and a technique for the investigation of excitation of atoms by ultramonoenergetic electrons are described. The optical excitation functions are given for 14 spectral lines of the cadmium atom originating from the n ¹ S ₀, 5¹ P ₁, n ³ S ₁, 5³ P ₁, and n ³ D _j levels. More than 150 specific features are found in the energy dependences of the effective excitation cross sections measured from the excitation threshold to 16 eV. The most pronounced of these features are in good agreement with the fine structure observed previously. The main mechanisms of the initial-level population, namely, the direct transition of an electron from the ground atomic state to the initial level of a spectral line, the population of the initial levels due to the decay of short-lived states of a negative ion, and the cascade population, are separated. In the excitation functions of the lines originating from the n ¹ S ₀ levels, in the energy range from 10.9 to 12.4 eV, we observed for the first time an effect of postcollision interactions of emitted and scattered electrons in the vicinity of the thresholds of four autoionization states of the cadmium atom.     

Velocity dependence of the chemi-ionization of H2O and D2O on impact of 21S and 23S helium atoms

The velocity dependence for the ionization of H₂O and D₂O to form H₂O⁺ and D₂O⁺ in collisions with both 2³S and 2¹S metastable helium atoms has been measured in a crossed molecular beam apparatus using a mechanical velocity-selector on the metastable beam. The cross-sections are found to be proportional to the —n power of the relative collision energy, with n ? 0.4 for both metastable atoms in both gases. The branching ratios H₂O⁺/OH⁺ and D₂O⁺/OD⁺ were both found to be 4.3 for both metastable helium atoms, and to be independent of the relative collision energy.     

Lifetimes and oscillator strengths in the triplet system of ZnI

Selective laser excitation was used to measure the radiative lifetimes of the ZnI triplet states 4sns ³ S ₁(n=5–7) and 4snd ³ D ₃,³ D ₂ and³ D ₁(n=4–6). These states were excited from the metastable 4s4p ³ P states, which were collisionally populated in an atomic beam. The values are compared with the results of other experimental methods (beam-foil, pulsed electron excitation, Hanle effect) and with theoretical calculations. The corresponding oscillator strengths are discussed with respect to the astrophysical determination of the Zn photospheric abundance.     

Breit相互作用对类氦离子亚稳态1s2s 3S1电子碰撞激发截面的影响

利用新近发展的基于全相对论扭曲波方法研究电子-离子碰撞激发过程的计算程序,通过对Breit相互作用的考虑,计算了类氦等电子序列离子从亚稳态1s2s³S₁激发2s电子到n=2,3壳层的电子碰撞激发截面;研究了不同入射电子能量时Breit相互作用对碰撞激发截面的影响,进一步总结了沿等电子序列变化时,Breit相互作用对截面影响的一般规律.部分计算结果与实验结果进行了比较,得到了很好的一致性. 关键词： 全相对论扭曲波方法 Breit相互作用 电子碰撞激发截面     

Helium emission spectra—II. Pressures to 0.91 torr

Electron impact excitation is employed to study the pressure variation of the steady state luminescence from 27 levels of helium. Apparent cross sections are determined for these levels over the pressure range 0.025–0.91 torr, a much broader pressure range for observing collisional excitation transfer processes than has been previously investigated. Model calculations are carried out in which the data is fit to a set of coupled steady state equations. Primary and secondary electron excitation, radiative transfer, and bimolecular and termolecular collisional processes are accounted for in the analysis. We find that n¹P→n¹D collisional excitation transfer is much more important as a populating mechanism for n¹D levels than has been previously believed. The cross section for 4¹P→4¹D collisional transfer is estimated to be (1.3±0.3)×10^?14 cm². A termolecular process, believed to involve formation of He₂⁺, becomes an important loss mechanism for the 3¹P and 4¹P levels at pressures above 0.5 torr. Rate constants for this process are estimated to be (6.6±1.0)×10^?27 cm⁶/sec and (1.9±0.4)×10^?26 cm⁶/sec for 3¹P and 4¹P, respectively. The magnitude of the 3³D and 4³D apparent cross sections require a large 4³F population, a result which leads us to conclude that the 4F level is singlet-triplet mixed. There is evidence that collision induced transitions between all sublevels do not occur with equal probability. The most internally consistent results are arrived at by assuming ΔJ=0 to be a favored collisional transfer process.     

On the mechanisms of formation of excited hydrogen atoms in a decaying helium-hydrogen plasma

We spectroscopically studied the population of the excited hydrogen atomic states with the principal quantum numbers n=3 and 4 in a decaying plasma produced by a pulsed discharge in a mixture of helium (p=40.4 Torr) with a small amount of hydrogen ([H₂]≈10¹² cm^?3). Experiments on recording the response of the spectral line intensities to a short-duration electron temperature perturbation revealed the contribution of electron-ion recombination to the population of the H*(n=3) states in the early afterglow. The ions produced by collisions of hydrogen molecules with metastable He(2³ S ₁) atoms, whose density decreases relatively rapidly with time in the decaying plasma, were assumed to be involved in this process. No population of the H*(n=4) atomic levels due to electron-ion recombination was found. Our experimental results are consistent with the conclusions of previous studies that excitation transfer during collisions of metastable helium molecules with hydrogen molecules plays a major role in the population of the excited hydrogen atomic states both with n=3 and with n=4 during most of the afterglow.     

On Precision Measurement of the Frequency of the 1<Superscript>1</Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>–2<Superscript>3</Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis> Forbidden Transition of a Helium Atom

The possibility is demonstrated of a precision frequency measurement for the 1¹S₀?2³S₁ forbidden transition (at 62.6 nm) of a helium atom using the stimulated Raman scattering method. The 1¹S₀ singlet state is the ground state of ⁴He, while the metastable 2³S₁ state has the lowest energy in the triplet part of the spectrum (⁴He*). The transition has a very small natural width, which allows us to consider it as a possible reference for creation of a frequency standard in the vacuum ultraviolet region.     

Ionization-excitation of helium into the np (n = 2−5) states

Cross sections for the simultaneous ionization and excitation to the np states (n = 2−5) of the helium atom by fast proton and antiproton impact have been calculated. We have applied the impact parameter method and have used second-order perturbation approximation. Electron correlation has been taken into account in the initial state but has been neglected in the final state. Our cross sections are compared to the experimental data.     

Helium transport along lattice channels in crystalline quartz

The problem of He atom movement through channels of the quartz crystalline lattice is investigated. Providing the diameters of the atom and of the channel are of similar size the atom interacts with neighbor constituents of the wall. The conservation of momentum law in local form applied to the ‘helium-constituent’ interaction allows reduction of the problem to a one-dimensional one, which is similar to the movement of a dislocation in the Frenkel-Kontorova (FK) model. Within the framework of this model the activation energy for ‘helium+neighbor constituents’ is expressed by the shear modulus for the channel-forming material and the He polarizability. A metastable helium atom in the triplet state (2 ³S₁) is able to penetrate through the channel. In contrast, helium atoms in the singlet states, both ground state (1 ¹S₀) and metastable (2 ¹S₀), cannot penetrate.     

Radiative quenching and excitation of metastable states upon differential scattering of atoms: II. The He(1<Superscript>1</Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>–2<Superscript>1</Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>)-Ne molecule

The differential cross sections of radiative-collisional quenching (absorption) of a metastable state of a colliding atom are calculated for the first time. As a particular example, the reaction of quenching (excitation) of the metastable state He(2¹S) in collisions with Ne atoms in the ground state is considered. The calculations are performed for the thermal collisional energy E = 10^?3 au for a wide range of radiation frequencies, including both wings and the center of the line of a forbidden atomic transition, and are based on the uniform quasi-classical approximation, which generalizes the Franck-Condon approximation to the case of an exponential dependence of the transition dipole moment on the internuclear distance, as well as to the case of nonintersecting terms. The calculated differential cross sections have an oscillating structure, which, for the blue wing of the forbidden spectral line, is interpreted as Stückelberg oscillations. At a radiation frequency close to the frequency of the forbidden atomic transition, a sharp maximum in the differential cross section—the giant glory effect—is observed in the range of small scattering angles. This effect is shown to occur as a result of superimposition of the rainbowlike feature of the differential cross section on the glory feature.     

Influence of the laser-induced continuum structure on cross sections of the over threshold scattering of photons on atom

Process of photon scattering on atoms is considered at energy above the ionization threshold. Influence of the resonant structure in the continuum, induced by a laser field due to coupling with the level 4¹ S in helium, on the cross sections of elastic and inelastic scattering of a probe radiation on atom in the meta-stable state 2¹ S is theoretically investigated. In the rotating wave approximation approach dependences of resonant scattering cross sections on the probe and laser radiation characteristics are obtained. The frequency and polarization dependences of the scattering cross sections to the final states of atom 1¹ S, 2¹ S and 4¹ S are calculated.     

Measurements of photoionization cross sections from the 4p, 5d and 7s excited states of potassium

New measurements of the photoionization cross sections from the 4p ²P_1/2,3/2, 5d ²D_5/2,3/2 and 7s ²S_1/2 excited states of potassium are presented. The cross sections have been measured by two-step excitation and ionization using a Nd:YAG laser in conjunction with a thermionic diode ion detector. By applying the saturation technique, the absolute values of the cross sections from the 4p ²P_3/2 and 4p ²P_1/2 states at 355 nm are determined as 7.2±1.1 and 5.6±0.8 Mb, respectively. The photoionization cross section from the 5d ²D_5/2,3/2 excited state has been measured using two excitation paths, two-step excitation and two-photon excitation from the ground state. The measured values of the cross sections from the 5d ²D_5/2 state by two-photon excitation from the ground state is 28.9±4.3 Mb, whereas in the two-step excitation, the cross section from the 5d ²D_3/2 state via the 4p ²P_1/2 state and from the 5d ²D_5/2,3/2 states via the 4p ²P_3/2 state are determined as 25.1±3.8 and 30.2±4.5 Mb, respectively. Besides, we have measured the photoionization cross sections from the 7s ²S_1/2 excited state using the two-photon excitation from the ground state as 0.61±0.09 Mb.     

Excitation of bands of the first negative system of the N 2 + ion in collisions of N+ and O+ ions with N2 molecules

Absolute values of the excitation cross sections of the (0,0) bands [for O⁺(⁴ S), O⁺(² P)-N₂ pairs] and the (0,0), (0,1), (1,2), and (2,3) bands [for N⁺(³ P)-N₂ pairs] of the first negative system of the N ₂ ⁺ ion have been measured in collisions with nitrogen molecules of nitrogen and oxygen ions in the ground state and in a metastable state in the interval of ion energies 1–10 keV. The process of excitation of the (0,0) band of the first negative system of the N ₂ ⁺ ion by oxygen ions in the metastable ² P state is of a quasi-resonant character. The presence in the beam of ions in metastable states was monitored by measuring the excitation efficiency of the (0,0) band λ3914 Å of the N ₂ ⁺ ion in different operating regimes of the highfrequency ion source. For N⁺ ions in the ³ P ground state, as the collision frequency is decreased the relative vibrational population of the v′=1 and v′=2 levels of the B ²Σ _u ⁺ state of the N ₂ ⁺ ion is observed to deviate strongly from the value calculated in the Franck-Condon model.