Characteristics of potential-resonance elastic scattering of slow electrons by calcium atoms

The characteristics of elastic scattering of electrons by atomic systems are described by the potential resonance method in terms of the energy dependence of integral-type cross section S taken using a hypocycloidal electron spectrometer. The effect of ² D shape resonance on the run of the curve S(E) is demonstrated with scattering of slow (of energy no higher than 2 eV) electrons by calcium atoms. The energy and width of the resonance are derived from the extrema (minimum and maximum) of the experimental curve S(E). This dependence also serves to find the electron scattering differential cross sections. Two slightly differing scattering angles are taken into account. The differential cross sections derived from the experimental data qualitatively agree with theoretical results, albeit being somewhat lower.     

Reactions of excited atoms and molecules with atoms and molecules

Ionizing collisions of long lived excited particles with atoms and molecules are studied by a cross beam technique. For the first time reactions of atoms in high Rydberg states are included in the investigation. In this paper we report relative cross sections for the production of the ions RH⁺, RH ₂ ⁺ , and H ₂ ⁺ by collisions of excited rare gas atoms R^* with H₂. With HD as the target molecule the isotope effect for the production of RD⁺ and RH⁺ has been determined. In the case of argon and krypton, ions are produced only by the high Rydberg states, whereas in the case of helium and neon only the metastable states contribute to a measurable extent. The data indicate, that the reaction mechanism is different in principle for metastable and highly excited atoms. Simple models are proposed to explain the experimental results.     

Approximation of the electron excitation cross sections for triplet states excited from the 23 S 1 metastable state in helium

The method of approximated four-parameter representation of the electron-impact cross sections for a helium atom excited from the 2³ S ₁ metastable state into higher triplet states is applied and discussed. The approximation consists in interpolation over the whole set of the cross section values for each helium atomic level measured in our experiments and reported by other researchers. The approximation parameters and the cross sections calculated using these parameters for the maxima of the corresponding excitation functions are presented for 19 triplet levels of the S, P, and D HeI series with n=2–10. The interpolated values are compared to the theoretical cross sections. The serial regularities were investigated for the S, P, and D levels studied and a decrease in the cross sections for excitation from the given metastable state within each series, described by the approximate law Q=Cn ^?5, was revealed. Validity of the similarity relationship and the Bethe approximation for cross sections in the 2³ S?n ³ P series was verified. It is shown that the cross sections for a triplet level excitation from the 2³ S ₁ metastable state exceed the corresponding values for excitation from the ground state of helium by a factor of approximately 10³ for n=2 and 3 and 10 2 for the higher levels. It is concluded that the proposed method of representation of the cross sections for the electron-impact excitation of triplet levels from the metastable state increases accuracy and more importantly, reliability of the final results.     

Inelastic scattering of fast electrons from metastable states of helium

Inelastic scattering cross sections for collisions of electrons with helium atoms in metastable 2 ^1,3 S states are calculated for some final states of S and P symmetry by using the First Born Approximation and the Random Phase Approximation. The results for the total cross sections compare reasonably well with previous accurate values in the case of singlet-singlet transitions.     

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.     

Spectroscopic study of the formation of excited strontium ions upon interaction of electrons with metastable atoms

The interaction of electrons with metastable Sr atoms, as a result of which the latter are simultaneously ionized and excited, is investigated experimentally. The magnitudes of the interaction cross sections (reaching ≈5 × 10^?20 m² for the 5² S _1/2-3² P _3/2 transition in Sr II) and their energy dependences are determined. Possible mechanisms of this interaction are discussed.     

Dependence of the differential cross sections for radiative-collisional excitation of metastable atomic states on the polarization of radiation

We calculate the total and differential cross sections for radiative-collisional excitation of the metastable 2¹S state of He atoms at collisions with Ne atoms in external radiation fields of various frequencies and polarizations. The calculations are performed for a thermal collision energy of E = 10^?3 atomic units and light intensity of I = 1 MW cm^?2, which corresponds to a single photon absorption by a quasi-molecule during the collision. Both the differential and total cross sections are shown to depend strongly on the relative orientation of the radiation polarization vector and the initial relative velocity vector of the colliding atoms. We analyze the azimuthal scattering asymmetry related to the orientation of the angular momentum of the absorbed photon.     

Elastic scattering of slow electrons by calcium atoms into an angular range depending on the collision energy

The use of trochoidal and hypocycloidal spectrometers that are applied in modern experimental techniques for studying processes of electron scattering by atoms, ions, and surfaces is considered in some detail. The angular range of the collection of scattered electrons is determined by the operation mode of the spectrometer and depends on the collision energy. To analyze the structure of the measured energy dependence S(E), an analytical formalism reflecting both resonance and nonresonance features of low-energy scattering was used. A theoretical analysis of elastic scattering of slow (to 2 eV) electrons by Ca atoms permitted the interpretation of the observed structure of S(E) as a manifestation of the ² D shape resonance. A comparison of the theoretical values of the S(E) function with the total and differential scattering cross sections was performed.     

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.     

Electronic excitation of Ar atoms to metastable states and from metastable to higher states

The formation of the metastable states 3p ⁵4s of the Ar atom by an electron impact and the electronic excitation from these states to the higher levels 3p ⁵4p ArI are investigated in detail. The electronic excitation cross sections are determined based on a previously proposed approach to generalization of experimental and theoretical results. The method proposed consists in interpolation over the entire set of cross sections for each of the investigated levels of the Ar atom (measured by us previously or taken from the literature) using the four-parameter approximation of the dependences of the cross sections on the energy of incident electrons.     

Scattering of charged particles by atoms

A closed variant of the Born approximation for calculating differential scattering cross sections in ion-atom collisions is developed. An expression in terms of the matrix elements J _ij with respect to the single-electron states of the atom is found for the matrix element describing the target atom in the formula for the differential cross section. The matrix elements J _ij are averaged over the relative orientation of the momentum transferred in the collision and the symmetry axis of the electronic orbitals of the target atom, using the single-electron Rutaan-Hartree-Fock wave functions. The algebraic representation of the matrix elements J _ij makes it possible to perform calculations for atoms with any value of Z. The model developed is used to calculate the cross sections σ_Σ and characteristic scattering angles θ_c for the process of electron loss by H^? ions with energy E = 0.1–100 MeV in targets consisting of atoms with Z = 2–54. It is shown that σ_Σ ∝ E ^?1 and θ_c ∝ E ^?1/2 for all Z, and for fixed E the behavior of σ_Σ(Z) and θ_c(Z) is determined by the order of filling of the electronic shells of the target atoms (the ionization potential). The computational results are analyzed and compared with the experimental data and the results of other calculations.     

ELECTRON IMPACT IONIZATION OF HELIUM FROM ITS GROUND AND METASTABLE STATES

The triple differential cross sections for the ionization of helium from its ground state 1¹S and metastable states 2¹S and 2³S in coplanar asymmetric geometry by 150, 250 and 400 eV electrons have been calculated in the BBK model. The present results are compared with the experimental data and/or the other theoretical ones. It has been found that the structures for the metastable states differ markedly from those for the ground state. The collision mechanisms for the new structures appearing in the cross sections for the ionization from metastable states have been analysed. And it has been shown how the intensity of recoil peak changes due to the size of the electron orbital. In addition, the optimal kinematical situations for the cross sections are explored for future experiment.     

Electron momentum distribution in multiply-ionized neon atoms

We present momentum-space properties of multiply ionized neon atoms as a function of the degree of ionization of the atom. In particular, we have calculated the Compton profiles of all possible ionized states of neon atoms with electronic configurations 1s^m2sⁿ2p^q, m=1-2, n=0-2, q=0-6. The radial single-electron radial wave functions, obtained from the Hartree-Fock atomic model, were converted into momentum space wave functions by applying appropriate Fourier transformation. The values of the Compton profiles from the present calculation can be used to interpret experimental cross sections of variously ionized neon atoms colliding with other atoms. Compton profiles of neutral neon atoms, available in the literature, are in excellent agreement with the present calculation.     

Observation of the spin polarization of Cs atoms during optical orientation of metastable helium atoms in alkali-helium plasma

We are the first to experimentally observe a magnetic-resonance signal of 6² S _1/2 Cs atoms by absorption of light from a helium lamp that was used to optically orient metastable 2³ S ₁ He atoms. The amplitude of the cesium signal proved to be almost three orders of magnitude lower than the amplitude of the magnetic resonance of 2³ S ₁ He atoms. Particular features of the creation and observation of the collisional polarization of cesium under conditions of alkali-helium plasma have been discussed.     

Radiative quenching and excitation of metastable states upon differential scattering of atoms: I. Uniform quasi-classical theory

A theory of radiative-collisional transitions between the ground and metastable ¹S states of a colliding atom is proposed. The theory uses the uniform quasi-classical approximation generalized to the case of spherically asymmetric interactions. The theory takes into account the angular momentum of an emitted (absorbed) photon and allows one to calculate the total and differential scattering cross sections in a wide range of radiation frequencies including both wings and the center of the line of a forbidden atomic transition. The range of admissible collision energies and intensities of an external radiation field is restricted by the use of the adiabatic approximation, as well as the approximation of a weak coupling between the ground and excited states of a quasi-molecule, the potentials of which are assumed to be monotonically repulsive.     

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.     

Measurement of the absolute total electron impact cross section on Cs atoms using a magnetooptical trap

Laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms has been employed for the measurement of the total electron impact cross sections of the ground state 6² S _1/2 of ¹³³Cs atoms in the energy range from 80 to 500 eV. The total electron impact cross sections of the cold Cs atoms in the MOT were measured by observing the decay of the MOT after the interaction with the electron beam, and were found to depend only on the electron flux and not on the total number of atoms in the MOT. We confirm and extend the existing data on these measurements.     

Polarization effects in ionizing thermal energy collisions of laser-excited Ne(3p 3 D 3) atoms with Ar atoms

Using transverse and longitudinal excitation of a collimated metastable Ne(3s ³ P _2.0) beam with average velocities of 500, 800, and 1,200 m/s by means of a single mode dye laser on the²⁰Ne(3s ³ P ₂→3p ³ D ₃) transition, we have investigated ionizing collisions of polarized Ne(3s ³ P ₂) and Ne(3p ³ D ₃) atoms with Ar atoms. The product electrons were energy analyzed with high resolution (9–25 meV). The resulting Ne(3p ³ D ₃) electron spectra exhibit a strong dependence on the three types of laser polarization (π _∥,π_⊥, σ_?), chosen to prepare the excited atoms. In contrast, the Ne(3s ³ P ₂) spectra are only weakly dependent on polarization. Detailed model calculations have been carried out for the Ne(3p)+Ar cross sections, using computed excited-state potential curves, semi-empirical ionic potentials, and local autoionization width functions. A semiclassical closecoupling method is applied to describe the evolution of the polarized collision system in the coupled entrance channels. It is found that a single autoionization widthΓ(R) is not sufficient to describe the measured polarization effects properly. The dependence ofΓ on the initial and final state is expressed in terms of few reduced electronic transition matrix elements, which are determined by comparison of measured and calculated total cross sections and Ar⁺(² P _3/2)/Ar⁺(² P _1/2) branching ratios for ionizing collisions of the various Ne(3pJ=1,2,3) multiplet states with Ar. The matrix elements corresponding to Ar(3pσ)→Ne(2pσ) electron transfer during autoionization are found to dominate, but Ar(3pπ)→Ne(2pπ) transfer has also to be included. The resulting calculated electron spectra reproduce the measured polarization effects in a semi-quantitative way.     

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.     

Transfer of a weakly bound electron in collisions of Rydberg atoms with neutral particles. II. Ion-pair formation and resonant quenching of the Rb(nl) and Ne(nl) States by Ca, Sr, and Ba atoms

Electron-transfer processes are studied in thermal collisions of Rydberg atoms with alkaline-earth Ca(4s ²), Sr(5s ²), and Ba(6s ²) atoms capable of forming negative ions with a weakly bound outermost p-electron. We consider the ion-pair formation and resonant quenching of highly excited atomic states caused by transitions between Rydberg covalent and ionic terms of a quasi-molecule produced in collisions of particles. The contributions of these reaction channels to the total depopulation cross section of Rydberg states of Rb(nl) and Ne(nl) atoms as functions of the principal quantum number n are compared for selectively excited nl-levels with l ? n and for states with large orbital quantum numbers l = n ? 1, n ? 2. It is shown that the contribution from resonant quenching dominates at small values of n, and the ion-pair formation process begins to dominate with increasing n. The values and positions of the maxima of cross sections for both processes strongly depend on the electron affinity of an alkaline-earth atom and on the orbital angular momentum l of a highly excited atom. It is shown that in the case of Rydberg atoms in states with large l ～ n ? 1, the rate constants of ion-pair formation and collisional quenching are considerably lower than those for nl-levels with l ? n.