Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Journal of the Physical Society of Japan

Measurement of Metastable Population in Gadolinium Atomic Beam by Resonance Photoionization

Koichi Ogura, Takemasa Shibata

Published Mar 15, 1994• 4 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Population of metastable levels in a gadolinium atomic beam produced by electron beam heating were measured using the resonance photoionization technique. The population followed the Boltzmann distribution and the atomic excitation temperature was determined. The atomic excitation temperature is far lower than the temperature of the evaporation surface and nearly equal to the temperature which characterizes the distribution in the velocity component parallel to the gadolinium atomic beam axis. This suggests that the atomic excitation energy and the translational energy exchange each other at high reaction rate in the atomic vapor expanding from the evaporation surface into vacuum.

DOI
10.1143/jpsj.63.834

Related papers

Measurement of metastable population distribution in gadolinium atomic beam by laser resonance photoionization method

Koichi Ogura, Takemasa Shibata

Unknown eBooks•Mar 1, 1993•0 citations

Study of the parameters of a thallium atomic beam by the laser resonant atomic photoionization technique

I. Sh. Muzhdabaev, O. Tukhlibaev, A. T. Tursunov +1 more

The arrangement and operating principle of a setup for studying the main parameters of a beam of thallium atoms using the laser resonance atomic photoionization technique and the experimental results obtained are presented. The measured characteristics are the evaporation time, the atomic beam intensity, the evaporation rate, the saturated vapor pressure, and the heat of thallium evaporation.

Optics and Spectroscopy•Sep 1, 2002•0 citations

Laser Cooling and Trapping of Metastable Neon and Applications to Photoionization

J. P. Ashmore

This thesis presents an in-depth study into the characterization and enhancement of a metastable neon laser cooled and trapped atomic beam. The apparatus consists of a standard Zeeman slowed atomic beam loaded into a magneto-optical trap and was designed for applications to electron scattering experiments and photoionization. The efficiency of the metastable neon atomic source was investigated to determine the ideal cathode type for maximum metastable production and optimal atomic beam velocity haracteristics. A series of characterization measurements were performed on the MOT, and the trap volume and population were investigated for a range of trapping and slowing laser intensities and detunings, together with the MOT and Zeeman slower magnetic fields. The volume measurements were compared to standard Doppler theory and it was found that the Doppler model inadequately explained the trap behaviour. It was found that the MOT population characteristics were governed by two processes: two-body losses that limit the trap population at high densities, and the efficiency of the atom capture process which limits the operational range of the MOT over the various parameters. The trap temperature was determined to be 1.3mK via a time-of-flight technique. This was nearly twice that predicted by Doppler theory and the lack of agreement once again suggests the inadequacies in the Doppler theory to correctly model the experiment. The application of the MOT to the photoionization cross-section measurement of the (2p53p)3D3 state of neon was investigated. The MOT decay technique was utilized to measure cross-section values of o351 = 2.9+0.2 -0.3 x 10 -18cm2 and o363 = 3.1 +0.3 -0.4 x 10-18cm2 at the wavelengths of 351nm and 363nm respectively. This is an increase in accuracy of around a factor of five from previous measurements and it was found that the results agreed well with the values predicted by current theories.

•Jan 1, 2005•2 citations

Thermal beam of metastable krypton atoms produced by optical excitation

Yue Ding, Shui-Ming Hu, K. Bailey +5 more

A room-temperature beam of krypton atoms in the metastable 5s[3/2]2 level is demonstrated via an optical excitation method. A Kr-discharge lamp is used to produce vacuum ultraviolet photons at 124 nm for the first-step excitation from the ground level 4p6 1S0 to the 5s[3/2]1 level. An 819 nm Ti:sapphire laser is used for the second-step excitation from 5s[3/2]1 to 5s[3/2]2 followed by a spontaneous decay to the 5s[3/2]2 metastable level. A metastable atomic beam with an angular flux density of 3 x 10(14) s(-1) sr(-1) is achieved at the total gas flow rate of 0.01 cm3/s at STP (or 3 x 10(17) at./s). The dependences of the flux on the gas flow rate, laser power, and lamp parameters are investigated.

arXiv:physics/0612046•Review of Scientific Instruments•Feb 1, 2007•25 citations

Ionization of laser-excited strontium vapor: The dynamics of superelastic collisions with metastable populations

Catherine Bréchignac, Ph. Cahuzac, Anne Débarre

We report on the observation and absolute measurements of the population dynamics for several Sr i and Sr ii levels when the vapor is illuminated by a short laser pulse. When the laser beam excites the 5s5p ${}^{1}$${P}_{1}$ resonance level, we show that a pool of metastable population is created, allowing an efficient heating of the medium by superelastic collisions with seed electrons, and a strong final ionization is achieved. When the laser source excites the 5s10s 7thinsp${;}^{1}$${S}_{0}$ Rydberg level, superelastic collisions do not occur and a drastic change in the population behavior is observed. In both cases the dynamics of the energy transfer towards the plasma is detailed.

Physical Review A•May 1, 1985•11 citations

Coherence in Penning Ionization and First Kind Collisions: Volume Recombination of Ions/Electrons.

L. D. Schearer, W. F. Parks

A thermal energy beam of helium atoms in the metastable state is used to coherently excite ions of Sr, Ca, and Ba in a Penning collision. The anisotropic excited state distributions appears as Polarized line emission from the excited ions. The degree of ion alignment may be used to determine the populations of the quasi-molecular states of the ion-atom pair. The coherent emission is also utilized to obtain Hanle signals from which the radiative decay rate of the excited ion is determined. This is the first case in which coherence is produced in a collision process involving Penning ionization. The alignment of the Penning ions is an important new parameter in the description of these reactions. In an effort to extend such observations to molecular systems a nitrogen molecular metastable beam source was demonstrated. The use of metal vapor targets and the excitation rate of the excited states of Cd and Zn in energy transfer collisions with the N2(m) enable us to determine the vibrational distribution of the A 3Sigma state of N2 in the beam. Energy transfer cross sections and some Penning cross sections were measured in the beam system. (Author)

•Dec 1, 1979•0 citations
Population of metastable levels in a gadolinium atomic beam produced by electron beam heating were measured using the resonance photoionization technique. The population followed the Boltzmann distribution and the atomic excitation temperature was determined. The atomic excitation temperature is far lower than the temperature of the evaporation surface and nearly equal to the temperature which characterizes the distribution in the velocity component parallel to the gadolinium atomic beam axis. This suggests that the atomic excitation energy and the translational energy exchange each other at high reaction rate in the atomic vapor expanding from the evaporation surface into vacuum.
This thesis presents an in-depth study into the characterization and enhancement of a metastable neon laser cooled and trapped atomic beam. The apparatus consists of a standard Zeeman slowed atomic beam loaded into a magneto-optical trap and was designed for applications to electron scattering experiments and photoionization. The efficiency of the metastable neon atomic source was investigated to determine the ideal cathode type for maximum metastable production and optimal atomic beam velocity haracteristics. A series of characterization measurements were performed on the MOT, and the trap volume and population were investigated for a range of trapping and slowing laser intensities and detunings, together with the MOT and Zeeman slower magnetic fields. The volume measurements were compared to standard Doppler theory and it was found that the Doppler model inadequately explained the trap behaviour. It was found that the MOT population characteristics were governed by two processes: two-body losses that limit the trap population at high densities, and the efficiency of the atom capture process which limits the operational range of the MOT over the various parameters. The trap temperature was determined to be 1.3mK via a time-of-flight technique. This was nearly twice that predicted by Doppler theory and the lack of agreement once again suggests the inadequacies in the Doppler theory to correctly model the experiment. The application of the MOT to the photoionization cross-section measurement of the (2p53p)3D3 state of neon was investigated. The MOT decay technique was utilized to measure cross-section values of o351 = 2.9+0.2 -0.3 x 10 -18cm2 and o363 = 3.1 +0.3 -0.4 x 10-18cm2 at the wavelengths of 351nm and 363nm respectively. This is an increase in accuracy of around a factor of five from previous measurements and it was found that the results agreed well with the values predicted by current theories.
A room-temperature beam of krypton atoms in the metastable 5s[3/2]2 level is demonstrated via an optical excitation method. A Kr-discharge lamp is used to produce vacuum ultraviolet photons at 124 nm for the first-step excitation from the ground level 4p6 1S0 to the 5s[3/2]1 level. An 819 nm Ti:sapphire laser is used for the second-step excitation from 5s[3/2]1 to 5s[3/2]2 followed by a spontaneous decay to the 5s[3/2]2 metastable level. A metastable atomic beam with an angular flux density of 3 x 10(14) s(-1) sr(-1) is achieved at the total gas flow rate of 0.01 cm3/s at STP (or 3 x 10(17) at./s). The dependences of the flux on the gas flow rate, laser power, and lamp parameters are investigated.
We report on the observation and absolute measurements of the population dynamics for several Sr i and Sr ii levels when the vapor is illuminated by a short laser pulse. When the laser beam excites the 5s5p 1{}^{1}1P1{P}_{1}P1​ resonance level, we show that a pool of metastable population is created, allowing an efficient heating of the medium by superelastic collisions with seed electrons, and a strong final ionization is achieved. When the laser source excites the 5s10s 7thinsp;1{;}^{1};1S0{S}_{0}S0​ Rydberg level, superelastic collisions do not occur and a drastic change in the population behavior is observed. In both cases the dynamics of the energy transfer towards the plasma is detailed.
A thermal energy beam of helium atoms in the metastable state is used to coherently excite ions of Sr, Ca, and Ba in a Penning collision. The anisotropic excited state distributions appears as Polarized line emission from the excited ions. The degree of ion alignment may be used to determine the populations of the quasi-molecular states of the ion-atom pair. The coherent emission is also utilized to obtain Hanle signals from which the radiative decay rate of the excited ion is determined. This is the first case in which coherence is produced in a collision process involving Penning ionization. The alignment of the Penning ions is an important new parameter in the description of these reactions. In an effort to extend such observations to molecular systems a nitrogen molecular metastable beam source was demonstrated. The use of metal vapor targets and the excitation rate of the excited states of Cd and Zn in energy transfer collisions with the N2(m) enable us to determine the vibrational distribution of the A 3Sigma state of N2 in the beam. Energy transfer cross sections and some Penning cross sections were measured in the beam system. (Author)