Collision spectroscopy with aligned and oriented atoms

Electron capture processes in the H⁺?Na(3s) and H⁺?Na(3p) collisions are experimentally investigated in the 0.3–3 keV energy range using a crossed beam experiment. The excited Na(3p) target is produced with a well-defined alignment using laser pumping. The time of flight technique enables the identification of all the H(n)+Na⁺ channels populated in the collision. Total cross section ratios σ_3p (n=2)/σ_3s (n=2),σ_3p (n=3)/σ_3s (n=2) and σ_3s (n=3)/σ_3s (n=2) for the production of H(n=2) and H(n=3) are measured in the H⁺?Na (3s) and H⁺?Na (3p) collisions. They reveal a strong dominance of the production of H(n=2) in the H⁺?Na(3p) collision, especially for energies below 1 keV.     

Kinetic study of the reactions Sn+N2O→SnO+N2

The optical pumping method of alkali molecules by atom—molecule exchange collisions is applied to obtain the magnetic shielding difference σ(Na) — σ(Na₂) = (29 ± 16) × 10^?6 between Na atoms and Na₂ molecules and the scalar nuclear spin—spin coupling constants d_s = (306 ± 30)s^?1 of ²³Na³⁹K.     

Orbital alignment dependence of electron transfer cross sections

his paper reports experimental results for the influence of target excitation and orbital alignment on the charge exchange process for the systems Ne⁺, Ar⁺-Na(3s,3p) for impact energies in the 1-15 keV range. The cross section parameters are found to depend sensitively on collision velocity and choice of projectile. Using earlier results by Aumayr et al (Z. Phys. D 6(1987) 145-153) for the Na(3s) target, the relative cross sections are put on an absolute scale. A strong dependence of the total electron transfer cross section on the target state is observed, most dramatically for low energy Ar⁺ impact for which the cross section for a Na(3p) target is more than 200 times larger than for Na(3s). Time-of-flight spectra show that electron transfer channels with energy defects near zero are strongly preferred. Cross section estimates based on the Demkov-Olson model account well for the major trends observed, but not for the detailed behavior.     

Collisional depolarization of excited114Cd 5s5p 3 P 1 atoms by collisions with molecular gases

Depolarization of excited¹¹⁴Cd 5s5p ³ P ₁ atoms induced by collisions with various molecular gases (N₂, H₂, D₂, CO, CO₂, CH₄, C₂H₆, C₂H₄) has been investigated using polarized fluorescence spectroscopy. After pulsed optical excitation of the Cd 5³ P ₁ level with appropriately polarized light the temporal behaviour of Zeeman quantum beats has been observed showing the influence of collisional destruction of orientation and alignment. By analyzing the signal curves at different molecular gas pressures the corresponding depolarization cross sections for¹¹⁴Cd atoms in the 5³ P ₁ state have been obtained. With regard to a test of a nuclear spin decoupling model for the collisions the cross sections were compared with previously measured hyperfine structure transfer cross sections of¹¹³Cd 5s5p ³ P ₁ atoms.     

Coherent excitation of H(n=2) in H+, H - He collisions

The coherent excitation of H(n=2) in H⁺, H - He collisions was investigated at incident energies of 5–25 keV. From a polarization analysis of the emitted Lyman-α radiation as a function of an external electric field, the partial cross sections for excitation to the H(2s) and the H(2p _m) magnetic substates and the real part of thes ?p ₀-coherence were extracted. For H⁺-He collisions, the measured partial cross sections are in fair agreement with previous two-electron calculations by Kimura and Lin; the agreement with one-electron calculations of Jain et al. is, particularly at the lower incident energies, less satisfactory. For both collision systems, an energy-dependent forward-backward asymmetry corresponding to a shift of the center-of-charge relative to the center-of-mass (dipole moment) was observed. In H⁺ - He collisions, the measured dipole moment was positive; it thus corresponds to an electron trailing behind the proton. The same analysis applied to the H - He system showed the electron riding in front of the proton.     

Classical trajectory study of orientation and alignment effects for charge exchange processes in H+- Na*(3p m) collisions

The orientation and alignment effects for charge exchange in H⁺ + Na*(3p) collisions are studied using the classical trajectory Monte-Carlo method in the energy range from 1 to 8 keV. For Na*(3p _-1) → H*(2s, 2p _±1) transitions a large orientation effect is predicted by the probability functions, in very good agreement with semiclassical calculations. Angular differential cross sections are also calculated and interpreted using the impact parameter dependence of the proton deflection angle. They predict left-right asymmetry in agreement with semiclassical calculations or experimental results, but slightly smaller. Another geometry, not experimentally realized, is considered, where the proton velocity is parallel to the quantization axis of the p _±1 oriented states. Charge exchange from different aligned states with respect to the direction of the projectile velocity is also investigated, but the alignment effects are not as well described as the orientation effects. Total cross sections from oriented or aligned states with cylindrical symmetry around the projectile velocity direction are calculated and allow the hypothesis of velocity matching to be tested.     

Electron impact on laser excited barium atoms

We have investigated the cross section for inner (5p) shell ionization of barium by high energy (6 keV) electron impact. The target atoms were in the ground state and in the laser excited metastable 6s 5d (^1,3 D) state, respectively. Comparison of the relative ionization cross sections yields information on the configuration mixed wave functions of neutral and ionic barium.     

Photocurrent kinetics during electron emission from metal into electrolyte solution: Part III. H3O+ solutions

The photocurrent kinetics in acid solutions have been investigated. The diffusion coefficients of atoms H?((7±2)×10^?5cm²s^?1) and D?((4±1)×10^?5cm²s^?1) and OH^? and OD^? radicals ((1±0.3)×10^?5cm²s^?1) are found. The rate constants of capture of solvated electrons by H₃O⁺ and D₃O⁺ ions are identical and equal to (8±1)×10⁹M^?1s^?1. From the shape of the kinetic curves it follows that electrochemical desorption of atomic hydrogen occurs from the adsorbed state. The rate constant of this process has been measured. It is shown that the rate constant of electrochemical desorption depends only slightly on the potential.     

Collision cross sections for excitation energy transfer in Na* (3P 1/2)+K(4S 1/2)⇔Na*(3P 3/2)+K(4S 1/2) processes

The cross sections for the excitation energy transfer between the 3² P _J states of sodium atoms by collisions with ground-state potassium atoms have been measured by resonant Doppler-free two-photon spectroscopy, where the population densities of directly pumped and collisionally excited Na(3P _J )(J=1/2, 3/2) levels were probed by counter-propagating Na(3P _J ) → Na(4D _{3/2, 5/2}) excitation and detected with the thermionic diode. Cross sections of σ(3P _1/2 → 3P _3/2)=190 Ų±20% and σ(3P _3/2 → 3P _1/2)=100 Ų±20% were found. The theoretical calculations taking into account the long-range interaction termsR ^?6,R ^?8 andR ^?10 yield a value σ(3P _1/2 → 3P _3/2)=165 Ų. On the basis of these long-range interaction potentials the differential cross section has been calculated and compared with recently published experimental data. Very good agreement between the theoretical and experimental data was found.     

Theoretical study of Na(4p2P) + Na(3s2S) and Cd(5p3P0) + Na(3s2S) collisions and their role in the energy transfer between Cd.* and Na

We have computed the cross sections for the energy transfer process Cd(5p³P₀) + Na(3s²S) → Cd(5s¹S) + Na(4p²P) and for the state changing collision Na(4p²P) + Na(3s²S) → Na(3d²D) + Na(3s²S), based on theoretical interaction potentials for the NaCd and Na2 systems, respectively. Our calculations shed light on the interpretation of experiments with laser excited Na+Cd vapour mixtures [1]. It turns out that Cd(5p³P₀), in rapid equilibrium with the doorway state Cd(5p³P₁), efficiently transfers energy to Na, populating the 4p²P state. The collisions with ground state Na cause a very fast conversion of the 4p³P₁ to the 3d²D state, from which the strongest emission is observed.     

Medium-size Gaussian basis sets for hydrogen through argon

Summary Medium-sized Gaussian basis sets are reoptimized for the ground states of the atoms from hydrogen through argon. The composition of these basis sets is (4s), (5s), and (6s) for H and He, (9s5p) and (12s7p) for the atoms Li to Ne, and (12s8p) and (12s9p) for the atoms Na to Ar. Basis sets for the² P states of Li and Na, and the³ P states of Be and Mg are also constructed since they are useful in molecular calculations. In all cases, our energies are lower than those obtained previously with Gaussian basis sets of the same size.     

Resonant and Off-resonance ionization of laser-excited sodium vapor

Electrons produced in a sodium effusive beam irradiated by pulsed laser light have been energy-analyzed. For resonant excitation of the atoms to the 3p state, we have studied associative ionization of excited Na(3p) (AI), Penning ionization (PI) and photoionization of highly-excited Na(n l),n l=3d, 4p, 5s, 4d/4f, by measurements of electron energy spectra. Our interpretation of the spectra is supported by a numerical analysis of the data which leads to estimates of the cross sections compatible with values previously measured in other experiments. Off-resonance ionization is considered at a particular wavelength. It is presumed to involve laser-excited dimers Na ₂ ^** . Spectra show that highly-excited atoms are produced by photodissociation of Na ₂ ^** or from Na ₂ ^** -Na collisional energy transfer, and that these atoms support the dominant off-resonance ionization channel in our laser excitation conditions.     

Self-quenching and electronic energy transfer of triplet molecules. The benzaldehyde-biacetyl system in the vapor phase

The triplet-triplet energy transfer from benzaldehyde to biacetyl and the competing self-quenching between triplets and ground state molecules of benzaldehyde were investigated in the dilute vapor phase by monitoring the phosphorescence (T₁(nπ^*)S_o) decay of benzaldehyde. Following excitation into the S₁(nπ^*)S₀ absorption band, a triplet self-quenching rate constant of k_SQ=(2.4±0.1) × 10⁴ s^?1 Torr^?1, corresponding to a gas-kinetic cross section of σ_SQ=0.22 A², was measured. The collision-free lifetime of the benzaldehyde triplet was found to be 2.3 ± 0.4 ms. Substitution of the aldehydic proton by deuterium reduces k_SQ by a factor of two: complete deuteration of the molecule has no further effect. Under the same excitation conditions, the energy transfer rate to biacetyl is k_ET=(2.8 ± 0.1) × 10⁶ s^?1 Torr^?1, with σ_ET = 24 A². This process is not influenced by deuteration.     

Thermal energy collisions between metastable Ne⋆(2p 53s,3 P 0, 2) and H2(X,1Σ g + )

A crossed beam experiment is used to investigate the Ne*(2p ⁵ 3s,³ P _{0, 2}) ? H₂(¹Σ _g ⁺ ) collision at thermal energy (67 meV). The H₂ beam is supersonic, the Ne* beam is thermal. Different collision processes have been analyzed separately by means of a double chopping technique combined with a time of flight measurement. Ions produced by Penning effect and chemi-ionization have been separated from scattered metastable atoms by an accelerating electric field small enough to preserve a reasonable angular resolution: δ?(ions)=±5.5°, δ?(Ne*)=±1°, which allows a determination of differential cross sections. The attenuation method, combined with an absolute measurement of the total H₂ flux, has been used to measure the total cross section: σ _t =940±220a ₀ ² . Differential cross sections have been obtained, in arbitrary but unique unit, for the following processes: (1) elastic collisions, for a mixture (1:3) of para- and ortho-hydrogen; (2) rotationally inelastic collisions:J=0→2; (3) Penning ionization resulting into H ₂ ⁺ ions; (4) chemiionization yielding NeH⁺ ions.     

Kinetic study of electronically excited silicon atoms,Si(3p2(1S0)), by time-resolved attenuation of atomic resonance radiation

The collisional behaviour of electronically excited silicon atoms in the 3p²(¹S₀) state, 1.909 eV above the 3p²(³P₀) ground state, is investigated by time-resolved attenuation of atomic resonance radiation at λ = 390.53 nm (4s(¹P^o₁)←3p² (¹S₀)). The optically metastable Si(3¹S₀) atoms were generated by the repetitive pulsed irradiation of SiCl₄ and their decay monitored in the presence of added gases. Absolute quenching rate constants (k_Q, cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, 300 K) are reported for the following collision partners: He (?1.3 × 10^?15), SiCl₄ ((9.1 ± 1.4) × 10^?11), O₂ ((1.5 ± 0.2) × 10^?11) and N₂O ((4.3 ± 0.4) × 10^?11). The results for O₂ and N₂O are compared with analogous data reported hitherto for Si(3p²(³P_J)) and with those for the other np²(¹S₀) states of the group IV atoms C, Ge, Sn and Pb. The rate data for the silicon atoms are considered in terms of the nature of the potential surfaces arising from symmetry arguments based on the weak spin orbit coupling approximation.     

The role of an initial Na(3p) state alignment in 1 keV H++Na(3p)→H(2p)+Na+ collisions

Charge exchange in 1 keV H⁺+Na→H(2p)+Na⁺ is studied in a Lyman-α scattered particle coincidence experiment. An initial Na(3p) state is prepared by laser-optical pumping; its alignment is controlled by the laser light polarization. The results are compared to a 34 coupled-channels calculation (R. Shingal), and discussed on the basis of an asymptotic model of the charge exchange process.     

Theoretical study of single-electron capture in He2+ —H− collision

We present a detailed theoretical treatment of single-electron transfer between He²⁺ and H^?. The total cross section is calculated using stationary molecular states which are appropriate in the energy range covered by the experiments (between 0.5 and 2250 eV in the centre of mass frame). We use an expansion on a two-electron basis built with one-electron diatomic molecule (OEDM) orbitals and including the common translation factor of Errea et al. All coupling terms are calculated explicitly. Because of the small binding energy of H^? compared to that of the ground state of He⁺, capture occurs into highly excited states of He⁺. Results obtained with a straight-line quasiclassical calculation are in good agreement with the experimental data. At low energy, He⁺ (n=5) +H(1s) is the dominant capture channel; at higher energy, the He⁺ (n=4) + H(1s) channel becomes important. The rise in the cross section below 6 eV can be attributed to the Coulomb attraction in the incoming channel. To account for this effect, a fully quantal calculation has been performed. The agreement with the low-energy measurements is then excellent.     

Ionisation of small molecules by state-selected Ne* (3P0, 3P2) metastable atoms in the 0.06 < E < 6 eV energy range

The velocity dependence and absolute values of the total ionisation cross section for the molecules H₂, N₂, O₂, NO, CO, N₂O, CO₂, and CH₄ by metastable Ne* (³P₀) and Ne* (³P₂) atoms at collision energies ranging from 0.06 to 6.0 eV have been measured in a crossed beam experiment. State selection of the two metastable states of Ne* was obtained by optical pumping with a cw dye laser. We observe a strongly different velocity dependence at collision energies below about 1 eV for the ionisation cross section of the systems Ne*H₂, N₂, CO, and CH₄, and the systems Ne*O₂, NO, CO₂, and N₂O, respectively. The first group shows an increasing cross section in this energy range, similar to the Ne*Ar system, while the second group shows a very flat behaviour. This behaviour correlates with the difference in character (π or σ^b) of the orbital of the electron that is removed from the target molecule. For the molecules H₂, N₂, CO, and CH₄ an electron from a σ^b orbital is removed from the molecule, whereas for O₂, NO, N₂O, and CO₂ an outer π-ortibal electron is involved. For the systems Ne* (³P₀, ³P₂)H₂ we have derived the imaginary part of the optical potential by assuming a real potential similar to the theoretically calculated ground state NaH₂ potential of Botschwina et al. The resonance width Γ(r) as a function of the internuclear distance r shows a saturation at small r (r < 2.8 Å) for both the Ne*(³P₀)H₂ and the Ne*(³P₂)H₂ interaction. This supports previous conclusions of Verheijen et al. and Kroon et al. Reliable values for the absolute value of the total ionisation cross section have been obtained by performing a careful calibration of the density—length product of the supersonic secondary beam. The results are in good agreement with the values of West et al. for experiments without state selection. The total ionisation cross sections for molecules with π-type ionisation orbitals, with their larger spatial extent, in general are larger than those for molecules with σ^b-type ionisation orbitals.     

Alignment of atomic autoionizing states created by slow Na++He collisions

Ejected-electron spectra have been measured for collisions of He-atoms with Na⁺-ions, whose impact energy ranged from 1.7 to 7.0 keV. The ion impact-energy dependence of the angular-differential cross-section of the ejected electrons has been investigated for an aligned autoionizing state Na**(2p ⁵ 3s ^{2 2} P), which has been created by charge transfer from the He-atoms. The alignment of the autoionizing state Na**(2p ⁵ 3s ^{2 2} P) is discussed in relation to the scattering angles of the Na⁺-ions. A complete longitudinal alignment has been observed with respect to the quasimolecular axis.     

Calculation of the photo-electrons angular distribution asymmetry parameter β2p near the (3s3p)1 P resonance of He*

Near the (3s3p)¹ P resonance of He, we have calculated the photoelectrons angular distribution asymmetry parameter β_2p in the diagonalization approximation. Using the measured value of β _n=2 near the (3s3p)¹ P level obtained by Lindle et al. in the resonance photo-ionization of He to He^?(n=2), we have estimated the ratioR=σ_2p /σ_2s of the partial 2p photo-ionization cross section to the partial 2s photo-ionization cross section. Our calculation supports the result that in the resonance region, the formation of ions in the 2p level dominates over the 2s level. This is in good agreement with the experimental and most of the theoretical results reported to date.