Precision measurements of optical excitation functions for zinc atom

The excitation of zinc atoms by ultramonoenergetic electrons is experimentally studied. The optical excitation functions for 19 atomic spectral lines that originate from the n ¹ S ₀, 4¹ P ₁, n ¹ D ₂, n ³ S ₁, 4³ P ₁, 6³ P ₂, and n ³ D _j levels are studied in detail. In the excitation functions measured from the excitation threshold to 19 eV for the spectral lines originating from the n ¹ S ₀, n ³ S ₁, n ¹ D ², and n ³ D _j levels, specific features caused by postcollision interactions of emitted and scattered electrons are observed for the first time in the energy region of 10.9–17.0 eV near the thresholds of autoionization states.