Bulletin of the Lebedev Physics Institute
On the quenching mechanisms of Rydberg states of atoms during collisions with alkaline-earth atoms
E. S. Mironchuk, Alexander A. Narits
Abstract
Collisional quenching of Rydberg states of Na(nl) atoms during the interaction with Sr (5s 2) and Ca (4s 2) atoms is theoretically studied. The effects of two quenching mechanisms are considered: the resonant one associated with transitions between ionic and covalent terms of a quasi-molecule formed during collisions and the non-resonant mechanism caused by quasi-free electron scattering by a perturbing atom. The ranges of the prevalence of these mechanisms are determined depending on the principal and orbital quantum numbers, as well as the electron affinities of the alkaline-earth atom.