Excitation transfer and quenching induced in inelastic collisions of cadmium 51P1 atoms

The quenching of excited Cd(5¹P₁) atoms induced in collisions with Ar, N₂, H₂, CO, and CO₂ has been investigated using methods of fluorescence spectroscopy. Mixtures of Cd vapor and quenching gases contained in a quartz cell were irradiated with 2288 Å resonance radiation and the fluorescence spectrum consisting of the 2288 Å direct component, as well as of the 3261 Å sensitized component, was monitored in relation to the gas density. The experiments yielded the following cross sections Q_tot for the overall collisional deexcitation of the ¹P₁ state, as well as the cross sections Q₁₃ for ¹P₁→³P_J excitation transfer (in Ų).For argon: Q₁₃ < 2 × 10^-2, for N₂: Q_tot =48.5, Q₁₃ =48.0; for H₂: Q_tot = 19, Q₁₃ = 7.2; for CO: Q_tot = 110, Q₁₃ = 15; for CO₂: Q_tot = 121, Q₁₃ < 6 × 10^-3.