Endoergic and resonant charge transfer excitation in He-Cu discharge

The intensity of Cu-II lines with upper level energies near and above those of the He ion was measured as a function of He pressure in a Cu hollow cathode tube. In this tube at low pressures the negative glow could expand above the cathode. The maximum intensity of the Cu-II 493.1 nm line was found in the low voltage, high pressure hollow cathode discharge region in accordance with a resonant charge transfer excitation process. Enhancement of the intensity of the Cu-II 436.5 nm and 417.9 nm lines was observed in the cathode glow at low pressures. Excitation of these lines is attributed to endoergic charge transfer collisions between He ions accelerated by the 2 kV tube voltage and ground state Cu atoms. The cross-section for this reaction exciting the 436.5 nm line was estimated to be of the order of 10^–17 cm².