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Physical Review

Excitation-Transfer Collisions between Rubidium and Helium Atoms

T. J. Beahn, W. J. Condell, Hirsch I. Mandelberg

Published Jan 7, 1966• 28 citations
Publisher

Abstract

An experiment is described which measures the collision cross section for transfer of excitation in rubidium by helium. Rubidium atoms are pumped to either the $^{2}P_{\frac{1}{2}}$ or $^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}$ state by irradiation with one of the resonance lines. Some excited rubidium atoms are transferred to the other $P$ state by collisions with helium atoms. The rubidium atoms then radiate both resonance lines. Measurements of the intensities of both resonance lines as a function of helium pressure are used to calculate the collision cross section. The cross section for $^{2}P_{\frac{1}{2}}$ to $^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}$ is 1.0\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}17}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10% and for $^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}$ to $^{2}P_{\frac{1}{2}}$ is 1.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}17}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10%.

DOI
10.1103/physrev.141.83

Related papers

Measured Absolute Cross Sections for K* + Rb Collisional Excitation Transfer

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Cross sections for inelastic transfer between the 82D3/2 and 82D5/2 fine-structure states in rubidium, induced in resonant collisions with ground-state Rb atoms, have been determined using an experimental method involving two-photon excitation of atomic fluorescence. Rubidium vapor in a fluorescence cell was irradiated with pulses of 641 nm radiation from a N2 laser-pumped dye-laser tuned to excite one of the 82D states. The resulting fluorescence included the direct component originating from the optically excited state and a sensitized component arising from the other fine-structure state populated by collisions. Relative intensities of the fluorescent components, determined by photon-counting techniques, yielded the cross sections for excitation transfer: Q(2D3/2 → 2D5/2) = 8.1 × 10−13 cm2; Q(2D3/2 ← 2D5/2) = 5.5 × 1013 cm2; as well as [Formula: see text], the effective quenching cross section. The excitation transfer cross sections which are considered accurate to within ±20% are in the ratio predicted by the principle of detailed balancing.

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The 82S1/2→ 62D excitation transfer of rubidium atoms induced by collisions with groundstate rubidium and hydrogen molecules

Sun Xian-ping, Hu Z, Zeng Xi-zhi +2 more

The processes of excitation transfer from the 82S1/2 state to the 62D state of rubidium in Rb(82S1/2) – Rb(52S1/2) and Rb(82S1/2) – H2 collisions have been studied experimentally. During irradiating the Rb vapor, mixed with H2, by two light beams for selective stepwise excitation, the Rb 82S1/2 → 52P3/2 direct fluorescence and the Rb 62D3/2 → 52P1/2 sensitized fluorescence have been measured as a function of H2 gas pressure. The measurements yielded the cross-sections σ(82S1/2 → 62D) and σ*(82S1/2 → 62D) of Rb 82S1/2 → 62D excitation transfer induced by collisions with 52S1/2 Rb atom and H2 molecules respectively. The results are discussed in detail.

Acta Physica Sinica (Overseas Edition)•Nov 1, 1992•0 citations
An experiment is described which measures the collision cross section for transfer of excitation in rubidium by helium. Rubidium atoms are pumped to either the 2P12^{2}P_{\frac{1}{2}}2P21​​ or 2P32^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}2P23​​ state by irradiation with one of the resonance lines. Some excited rubidium atoms are transferred to the other PPP state by collisions with helium atoms. The rubidium atoms then radiate both resonance lines. Measurements of the intensities of both resonance lines as a function of helium pressure are used to calculate the collision cross section. The cross section for 2P12^{2}P_{\frac{1}{2}}2P21​​ to 2P32^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}2P23​​ is 1.0\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}10\ensuremath−17{10}^{\ensuremath{-}17}10\ensuremath−17 cm2{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}cm2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10% and for 2P32^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}2P23​​ to 2P12^{2}P_{\frac{1}{2}}2P21​​ is 1.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}10\ensuremath−17{10}^{\ensuremath{-}17}10\ensuremath−17 cm2{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}cm2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10%.
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The cross sections for excitation transfer between the 62P fine structure levels of rubidium, induced in collisions with ground state rubidium atoms, have been measured using a nitrogen laser pumped dye laser as the optical excitation source in a fluorescence experiment. Rubidium vapor was irradiated with each component of the 2P rubidium doublet in turn, and measurements of the relative intensities of fluorescence yielded the following cross sections: [Formula: see text] These results are consistent with the empirical relationship between the magnitude of the cross sections and the fine structure splitting that has previously been established for the alkalis.
The cross section for the transfer of excitation from the 23P02^{3}P_{0}23P0​ level of helium to the 23P12^{3}P_{1}23P1​ and 23P22^{3}P_{2}23P2​ levels as a result of collisions with the ground-state helium atom (11S01^{1}S_{0}11S0​) has been measured with a conventional resonance-fluorescence technique. A He4{\mathrm{He}}^{4}He4 source excited the $2^{3}S_{1}\ensuremath{-}2^{3}P_{0}$ transition in a He3{\mathrm{He}}^{3}He3 absorption cell. The scattered light was examined with a high-resolution grating spectrometer and the ratio of the $2^{3}P_{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2^{3}S_{1}$ to the $2^{3}P_{1,2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2^{3}S_{1}$ intensities was measured as a function of cell pressure from 0.05 to 10 Torr. The cross section for collision-induced transitions out of the 23P02^{3}P_{0}23P0​ level is found to be (68\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}3) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}16}$ cm2{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}cm2 at room temperature.
Cross sections for $7^{2}D_{\frac{3}{2}}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}7^{2}D_{\frac{5}{2}}$ transfer in Rb, induced in collisions with He, Ne, Ar, and with ground-state Rb atoms, have been determined using methods of atomic fluorescence. Rb vapor, pure or mixed with a noble gas, was irradiated in a glass fluorescence cell with pulses of 660-nm radiation from a N2{\mathrm{N}}_{2}N2​-laser-pumped dye laser, populating one of the 2D^{2}D2D states by two-photon absorption. The resulting fluorescence included a direct component emitted in the decay of the optically excited state and a sensitized component arising from the collisionally populated state. Relative intensities of the components yielded the cross sections for 72D7^{2}D72D mixing: $Q(^{2}D_{\frac{3}{2}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{2}D_{\frac{5}{2}})=8.8,6.5,10.4, \mathrm{and} 30$; $Q(^{2}D_{\frac{3}{2}}\ensuremath{\leftarrow}^{2}D_{\frac{5}{2}})=5.8,4.0,6.9, \mathrm{and} 18$, in units of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}14}$ cm2{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}cm2 for He, Ne, Ar, and Rb, respectively. Cross sections for the effective quenching of the 2D^{2}D2D states were also determined.
Cross sections for inelastic transfer between the 82D3/2 and 82D5/2 fine-structure states in rubidium, induced in resonant collisions with ground-state Rb atoms, have been determined using an experimental method involving two-photon excitation of atomic fluorescence. Rubidium vapor in a fluorescence cell was irradiated with pulses of 641 nm radiation from a N2 laser-pumped dye-laser tuned to excite one of the 82D states. The resulting fluorescence included the direct component originating from the optically excited state and a sensitized component arising from the other fine-structure state populated by collisions. Relative intensities of the fluorescent components, determined by photon-counting techniques, yielded the cross sections for excitation transfer: Q(2D3/2 → 2D5/2) = 8.1 × 10−13 cm2; Q(2D3/2 ← 2D5/2) = 5.5 × 1013 cm2; as well as [Formula: see text], the effective quenching cross section. The excitation transfer cross sections which are considered accurate to within ±20% are in the ratio predicted by the principle of detailed balancing.
The processes of excitation transfer from the 82S1/2 state to the 62D state of rubidium in Rb(82S1/2) – Rb(52S1/2) and Rb(82S1/2) – H2 collisions have been studied experimentally. During irradiating the Rb vapor, mixed with H2, by two light beams for selective stepwise excitation, the Rb 82S1/2 → 52P3/2 direct fluorescence and the Rb 62D3/2 → 52P1/2 sensitized fluorescence have been measured as a function of H2 gas pressure. The measurements yielded the cross-sections σ(82S1/2 → 62D) and σ*(82S1/2 → 62D) of Rb 82S1/2 → 62D excitation transfer induced by collisions with 52S1/2 Rb atom and H2 molecules respectively. The results are discussed in detail.