Reactions of excited atoms and molecules with atoms and molecules

From a He-beam excited by electron impact we eliminated the He(2¹ S) component to better than 0.5% by irradiating light from a He discharge. The quenching process ishv(2¹ P→2¹ S)+He(2¹ S)→He(2¹ P)→He(1¹ S +hv) (2¹ P 1)¹ S. By measuring the ions produced in collisions of the He-metastables with various target gases in a mass spectrometer, singlet to triplet Penning-cross section ratios were obtained. These ratios are without exception close to one, which is taken as evidence for the previously proposed electron exchange mechanism of the Penning ionization. In the case that more ions are produced in the collision of He (2¹ S) and He(2³ S) with a target gas, separate relative production cross sections are obtained for the two metastables. For the rare gases the measurements are performed at two temperatures of the He-beam, 320 and 90 °K. It is found that the cross section ratio of associative — to Penning ionization increases considerably as the temperature is decreased for both, He(2¹ S) and He(2³ S), the effect being much more pronounced for He(2¹ S). The results of this work are found to confirm conclusions drawn from measured energy distributions of the electrons ejected in the Penning process.     

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.     

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.     

Emission of highly excited atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere

The emission ability of Rydberg atoms and molecules in the orbitally degenerate states is considered. The mechanisms of their formation in the F, E, and D upper atmosphere layers are analyzed. The characteristic lifetimes of these states in the microwave range are estimated. It is shown that radiation in this range can be accompanied by a cascade of transitions. The possibility of studying the influence of intense atmospheric microwave radiation on living organisms is discussed.     

Ionization of atoms and molecules by antiproton impact

During the decade that the LEAR accelerator at CERN has existed, the PS194 collaboration has obtained a substantial amount of experimental data for the ionization of atoms and molecules by antiproton impact. Here, we present a few of the most important and recent results, compare them to newly developed theory, and point out the progress that has been achieved for our understanding of ionization in few-body systems because of this information, as well as some remaining problems. PS194 collaboration at CERN This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Collisional and radiative processes with participation of highly excited states of atoms and molecules

A number of processes in which highly excited states of atoms and molecules participate are investigated. These processes are of interest for the kinetics of a low-temperature plasma, for atomic and molecular spectroscopy, and for astrophysics. A quasiclassical theory is developed for transitions between Rydberg states with change of the principal quantum number, and also for the processes of direct and associative ionization of highly excited atoms, which result from collisions between a neutral particle and its atomic core. The state of the inner electrons of a quasimolecular (molecular) ion is not altered by transitions of the outer electrons. Specific calculations are carried out for the case of the collision of hydrogen H(n) with helium He (1s²) atoms. It is shown that the cross sections and the rate constants of these processes are determined in this case by the mechanism investigated in the paper, and not by scattering of the Rydberg electron by the neutral particle. The cross sections for dipole excitation and dissociation of molecular ions from high vibrational energy levels by electron impact is calculated in the Born-Coulomb approximation. The cross sections and the rates of dissociative and three-particle attachment of electrons to ions are determined. The processes of autoionization and autodissociation decay of Rydberg states of vibrationally excited molecules are determined. Also investigated are radiative transitions near the dissociation limit of diatomic molecular ions and neutral molecules, viz., photodissociation and radiative decay of high vibrational levels, and photodissociation and translational (inverse-bremsstrahlung) absorption in collision of atomic particles.Translated from Trudy Ordena Lenina Fizicheskogo Instituta im. P. Lebedeva AN SSSR, Vol. 145, pp. 80–130, 1984.     

Ionization of positronium (Ps) in collision with atoms

Ps ionization in Ps-atom scattering is of fundamental importance. The singly differential cross sections (SDCS) provides more accurate information to test a theory than integrated or total ionization cross section since the averaging over one parameter is not required. We evaluate the SDCS for Ps-ionization with respect to the longitudinal energy distribution of the break-up positron and electron in Ps-H and Ps-He scattering and compare them with the recently available experimental and theoretical data.     

Ionization of ytterbium atoms from an excited state

The cross sections of the photoionization and the electron impact-induced ionization of Yb atoms from the excited 6s6p(³ P ₁) state are numerically calculated. Matrix elements are computed in multielectron relativistic and nonrelativistic approximations with allowance for the superposition of configurations and a relaxation effect. The radial part of the electron wavefunction in a continuous spectrum is calculated using the solutions to one-configuration Hartree-Fock and Dirac-Fock equations. The cross sections calculated by a relativistic method are compared to those for a nonrelativistic approximation. The ratios of the radiation reduced matrix elements and the phase shifts of the wavefunctions of a continuous spectrum calculated for the 6p ɛs and 6p → ɛd transitions are compared to the values obtained by approximating the experimental dependences of the angular distribution of photoelectrons for the photoionization by ultraviolet radiation from an oriented excited state.     

Inelastic collision cross section of excited molecules

The (v′=6,J′=43) level in theB ¹Π _u electronic state of Na₂ has been selectively populated by excitation with the 4 880 Å line of the argon laser. Through collisions with He atoms energy is transferred to neighbouring rotational states in Na₂ and the density of these states is determined by observing fluorescence to electronic ground state. From previous measurement of the lifetime of theB ¹Π _u state and new measurements of the intensities of collision induced spectral lines as a function of He pressure, absolute collision cross sections for all rotational transitions up to ΔJ=±5 have been obtained. The total cross section for all rotational transitions observed is σ _rot ^total =65±15 Ų. Preliminary results about collision induced vibrational transitions are also presented.     

Recent experiments involving highly excited atoms

Very large and fragile atoms may be produced by exciting normal atoms with light or by collisions with other atomic particles. Atoms as large as 10^?6 m are now routinely produced in the laboratory and their properties studied. In this review some of the simpler experimental methods available for the production and detection of such atoms are described including tunable dye laser-excitation and field ionization. A few recent experiments which illustrate the collision properties and the effects of electric and magnetic fields are also described. The relevance of highly excited atoms in other areas of research including radioastronomy and isotope separation are discussed.     

Electron spectroscopy using excited atoms and photons: II. Penning ionization of diatomic molecules

A high resolution electrostatic electron analyser has been used to study Penning ionization electron spectra of H₂, HD, D₂, N₂, CO, NO and O₂ using helium metastable atoms (2¹S, 2³S). Results for H₂, N₂ and CO are in good agreement with other work. New data are presented for HD, D₂, NO and O₂. The Penning electron spectra are also compared to the 584 Å photoelectron spectra obtained in the same apparatus. The relative vibrational intensifies for the given electronic bands indicate that in most cases Franck—Condon factors for Penning ionization and photoionization are very similar. However for the O₂⁺(X²Π_g) band, the (2³S) Penning electron and photoelectron spectra show significant differences in the Franck—Condon envelopes This perturbation of the envelope for the Penning ionization may be explained by a competing autoionization process. The relative electronic transition probabilities are in many cases found to be different for Penning ionization and photoionization.     

Influence of the medium on the electromagnetic radiation spectrum of highly excited atoms and molecules

The influence of neutral species in the E- and D-layers of the Earth’s upper atmosphere on the spectrum of the spontaneous emission (absorption) of Rydberg atoms and molecules for transitions that occur without changing the principal quantum number (Δn = 0) is examined. Along with the process of l-mixing, the splitting of orbitally degenerate states due to interaction with perturbing neutral species of the medium is taken into account. The possible types of radiative transitions between them are analyzed. It is demonstrated that, for principal quantum numbers of n = 10–30, decimeter-band radiation corresponds to transitions between the levels of split states, whereas meter-band radiation, to transitions between their individual components. It is established that, for these values of n, the ratios of the intensities of the decimeter and meter bands for Δn = 0 transitions to the intensity of IR radiation (Δn = 1) are 10⁻⁴ and 10⁻⁶, respectively. The issue of satellite signal phase shift because of multiple Raman scattering in the D-layer of the atmosphere is discussed.     

Resonant charge exchange involving highly excited atoms

Transition of a classical electron between two Coulomb centers is analyzed on the basis of computer simulations. The contribution to the electron transfer cross section from a tunnel electron transition is evaluated taking into account the strong mixing of highly excited electron states due to motion of Coulomb centers. The rate of transition of a highly excited electron between two Coulomb cores with a fixed separation is evaluated together with the cross section of resonant charge exchange in slow collisions. Typical times of change of the electron momentum as a result of electron motion in the field of two Coulomb centers are determined. The text was submitted by authors in English.     

Pick-off quenching probability of ortho-positronium per collision with atoms and molecules

Positronium quenching through its collisions with gaseous atoms and molecules is discussed. It is found that the values of the normalized pick-off quenching parameter, ¹Z_eff, at room temperature are roughly proportional to the geometric collisional cross-sections estimated from the radius of the positronium and those of the atoms and molecules derived from the viscosity. This suggests that the probabilities of the pick-off quenching of the thermalized positronium per collision with various atoms and molecules are almost constant.     

Chemical ionization of hydrogen halide molecules in collision with metastable helium atoms

An anomaly of the temperature dependence of the cross section for chemical ionization of HBr molecules by metastable helium atoms He*(2³ S ₁) is discovered. It is shown that the interaction anisotropy induced by rotation of the HBr molecule has a significant influence on the formation of the anomaly. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 13–15 (February 1998)     

Cooling by spontaneous decay of highly excited antihydrogen atoms in magnetic traps

An efficient cooling mechanism of magnetically trapped, highly excited antihydrogen (H) atoms is presented. This cooling, in addition to the expected evaporative cooling, results in trapping of a large number of H atoms in the ground state. It is found that the final fraction of trapped atoms is insensitive to the initial distribution of H magnetic quantum numbers. Expressions are derived for the cooling efficiency, demonstrating that magnetic quadrupole (cusp) traps provide stronger cooling than higher order magnetic multipoles. The final temperature of H confined in a cusp trap is shown to depend as approximately 2.2T(n0)n(0)(-2/3) on the initial Rydberg level n0 and temperature T(n0).     

Collisional deexcitation of exotic hydrogen atoms in highly excited states

The deexcitation of exotic hydrogen atoms in highly excited states in collisions with hydrogen molecules has been studied using the classical-trajectory Monte Carlo method. The Coulomb transitions with large change of principal quantum number n have been found to be the dominant collisional deexcitation mechanism at high n. The molecular structure of the hydrogen target is shown to be essential for the dominance of transitions with large Δn. The external Auger effect has been studied in the eikonal approximation. The resulting partial wave cross-sections are consistent with unitarity and provide a more reliable input for cascade calculations than the previously used Born approximation. Received 28 May 2002 Published online 15 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: thomas@physik.unizh.ch