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AIP conference proceedings

Energy transfer collisions in laser excited mixtures of alkali vapors

M. Allegrini, Silvia Gozzini, G. Squadrito, C. Gabbanini, L. Moi

Published Jan 1, 1989• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Energy transfer collisions between two laser excited alkali atoms of different species have been investigated in cell experiments using an intermodulation technique. Cross sections have been measured for the potassium/rubidium mixture and evidence of three‐body collisions in presence of a buffer gas has been obtained in the sodium/potassium mixture.

DOI
10.1063/1.38643

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Potassium (K) and rubidium (Rb) are two kinds of typical alkali atoms, which have the similar energy-level structures. In a mixture of potassium and rubidium, energy transfer among atoms is different from that in a simple sample of potassium or rubidium vapor. When potassium and rubidium mixed vapor is irradiated simultaneously by a potassium resonance doublet and a rubidium resonance doublet, energy transfer will be induced by inelastic collisions between the excited potassium atoms and the unexcited potassium atoms, the excited rubidium atoms and the unexcited rubidium atoms, the excited potassium atoms and the unexcited rubidium atoms, the unexcited potassium atoms and the excited rubidium atoms, the excited potassium atoms and the excited rubidium atoms, and etc. Two processes of energy transfer between two upper-state levels of atomic potassium or rubidium such as 42P3/2 → 42P1/2 and 52P3/2 → 52P1/2, are known as direct-relaxation. Four processes of energy transfer such as 42P1/2 → 52P1/2, 42P1/2 → 52P3/2, 42P3/2 → 52P1/2, and 42P3/2→ 52P3/2, are called as cross-relaxation. In this study, we evaluate quantitatively the effect of cross-relaxation on the population distribution of atomic potassium and rubidium as well as the output power of the complex potassium-rubidium lasing system. The results demonstrate four cross-relaxation rates are much smaller than two direct-relaxation rates so that the influence can be negligible under the given temperature conditions. The conclusion might be helpful to better understand the kinetic principle of collisional energy transfer of a complex lasing system with mixed alkali metal media.

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SENSITIZED FLUORESCENCE IN VAPORS OF ALKALI METALS: VI. ENERGY TRANSFER IN COLLISIONS BETWEEN RUBIDIUM AND INERT GAS ATOMS

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The total cross sections for inelastic collisions between rubidium and inert gas atoms, leading to a transfer of excitation between the 5 2P1/2 and 5 2P3/2 levels in rubidium, have been determined in a study of sensitized fluorescence in rubidium – inert gas mixtures. The experiments were performed at a rubidium vapor pressure of 1.5 × 10−6 mm Hg, at which there is no imprisonment of resonance radiation, and over a range of inert gas pressures extending from 1 to 350 mm Hg. The cross sections Q1(5 2P1/2 → 5 2P3/2) and Q2(5 2P1/2 ← 5 2P3/2) are as follows: Rb–He: 7.6 × 10−18 and 10.3 × 10−18 cm2; Rb–Ne: 1.7 × 10−19 and 2.3 × 10−19 cm2; Rb–A: 1.0 × 10−19 and 1.6 × 10−19 cm2; Rb–Kr: 6.4 × 10−20 and 1.5 × 10−19 cm2; Rb–Xe: 7.9 × 10−20 and 2.1 × 10−19 cm2. The cross sections are subject to two apparent anomalies: they do not vary monotonically with the polarizabilities of the inert gases and not all of their ratios Q1/Q2 have values predicted by the principle of detailed balancing. These properties of the cross sections, as well as a partial disagreement with Franck's rule, are interpreted qualitatively in terms of a "free particle" interaction between the inert gas atoms and the 5 2P orbital electron in rubidium. A competing process involving three-body collisions and the possible formation of Rb – inert gas van der Waals' molecules is also suggested.

Canadian Journal of Physics•Apr 1, 1966•38 citations
Energy transfer collisions between two laser excited alkali atoms of different species have been investigated in cell experiments using an intermodulation technique. Cross sections have been measured for the potassium/rubidium mixture and evidence of three‐body collisions in presence of a buffer gas has been obtained in the sodium/potassium mixture.
Sensitized fluorescence in rubidium vapor, induced by collisions with excited potassium atoms, was investigated to determine the total cross sections for inelastic collisions between excited potassium atoms and rubidium atoms in their ground states. The collision cross sections for the various excitation transfer processes are as follows: Q12′ (K42P1/2 → Rb52P3/2) = 40 Å2, Q22′ (K42P3/2 → Rb52P3/2) = 27 Å2, Q11′ (K42P1/2 → Rb52P1/2) = 2.7 Å2, and Q21′ (K42P3/2 → Rb52P1/2) = 1.9 Å2. The partial pressure of potassium vapor in the K–Rb mixture was kept largely below 10−5 mm Hg to eliminate effects due to the trapping of potassium resonance radiation.
Potassium (K) and rubidium (Rb) are two kinds of typical alkali atoms, which have the similar energy-level structures. In a mixture of potassium and rubidium, energy transfer among atoms is different from that in a simple sample of potassium or rubidium vapor. When potassium and rubidium mixed vapor is irradiated simultaneously by a potassium resonance doublet and a rubidium resonance doublet, energy transfer will be induced by inelastic collisions between the excited potassium atoms and the unexcited potassium atoms, the excited rubidium atoms and the unexcited rubidium atoms, the excited potassium atoms and the unexcited rubidium atoms, the unexcited potassium atoms and the excited rubidium atoms, the excited potassium atoms and the excited rubidium atoms, and etc. Two processes of energy transfer between two upper-state levels of atomic potassium or rubidium such as 42P3/2 → 42P1/2 and 52P3/2 → 52P1/2, are known as direct-relaxation. Four processes of energy transfer such as 42P1/2 → 52P1/2, 42P1/2 → 52P3/2, 42P3/2 → 52P1/2, and 42P3/2→ 52P3/2, are called as cross-relaxation. In this study, we evaluate quantitatively the effect of cross-relaxation on the population distribution of atomic potassium and rubidium as well as the output power of the complex potassium-rubidium lasing system. The results demonstrate four cross-relaxation rates are much smaller than two direct-relaxation rates so that the influence can be negligible under the given temperature conditions. The conclusion might be helpful to better understand the kinetic principle of collisional energy transfer of a complex lasing system with mixed alkali metal media.
An account of recent work is given by the author and co-workers on the experimental determination of cross sections for excitation transfer between the (2)P((1/2)) and (2)P(3/2)resonance levels in potassium, rubidium and cesium, induced by inelastic collisions with alkali atoms and inert gas atoms in their ground states. Forty values of cross sections were obtained in a series of sensitized fluorescence experiments, in which alkali vapors and vapor-gas mixtures were irradiated with one component of the appropriate alkali resonance doublet, and the relative intensities of both components appearing in the fluorescent light were measured. The experiments indicate that the collisional interaction between an alkali atom in a (2)P state and a ground state inert gas atom probably occurs between the inert gas atom and the (2)P alkali valence electron which behaves like a quasi-free particle.
Two different atomic species, sodium and potassium, are resonantly excited in a ceel by a CW dye laser and a potassium lamp, respectively. The density of the excited Na (3P) atoms in the cell is measured directly using the absorption-equivalent-width technique on the lines of the diffuse series. To isolate the heteronuclear contribution in the fluorescence spectrum, a modulation detection technique is adopted. The energy-pooling collisions between Na (3P) and K (4P) are observed and cross sections are obtained.
The total cross sections for inelastic collisions between rubidium and inert gas atoms, leading to a transfer of excitation between the 5 2P1/2 and 5 2P3/2 levels in rubidium, have been determined in a study of sensitized fluorescence in rubidium – inert gas mixtures. The experiments were performed at a rubidium vapor pressure of 1.5 × 10−6 mm Hg, at which there is no imprisonment of resonance radiation, and over a range of inert gas pressures extending from 1 to 350 mm Hg. The cross sections Q1(5 2P1/2 → 5 2P3/2) and Q2(5 2P1/2 ← 5 2P3/2) are as follows: Rb–He: 7.6 × 10−18 and 10.3 × 10−18 cm2; Rb–Ne: 1.7 × 10−19 and 2.3 × 10−19 cm2; Rb–A: 1.0 × 10−19 and 1.6 × 10−19 cm2; Rb–Kr: 6.4 × 10−20 and 1.5 × 10−19 cm2; Rb–Xe: 7.9 × 10−20 and 2.1 × 10−19 cm2. The cross sections are subject to two apparent anomalies: they do not vary monotonically with the polarizabilities of the inert gases and not all of their ratios Q1/Q2 have values predicted by the principle of detailed balancing. These properties of the cross sections, as well as a partial disagreement with Franck's rule, are interpreted qualitatively in terms of a "free particle" interaction between the inert gas atoms and the 5 2P orbital electron in rubidium. A competing process involving three-body collisions and the possible formation of Rb – inert gas van der Waals' molecules is also suggested.