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Physical Review A

Resonant ionization in slow-atom-Rydberg-atom collisions

R.K. Janev, A. A. Mihajlov

Published Mar 1, 1980• 64 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The process of ionization in slow-atom-Rydberg-atom collisions is investigated. A resonant energy exchange mechanism is considered responsible for the electron transition into the continuum. Both symmetrical and asymmetrical systems are considered. The ionization probabilities and cross sections for a number of Rydberg states in the colliding systems ${\mathrm{H}}^{*}(n)+\mathrm{H}$, ${\mathrm{Li}}^{*}(n)+\mathrm{Li}$, ${\mathrm{H}}^{*}(n)+\mathrm{Li}$ are calculated.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.21.819

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The process of ionization in slow-atom-Rydberg-atom collisions is investigated. A resonant energy exchange mechanism is considered responsible for the electron transition into the continuum. Both symmetrical and asymmetrical systems are considered. The ionization probabilities and cross sections for a number of Rydberg states in the colliding systems H∗(n)+H{\mathrm{H}}^{*}(n)+\mathrm{H}H∗(n)+H, Li∗(n)+Li{\mathrm{Li}}^{*}(n)+\mathrm{Li}Li∗(n)+Li, H∗(n)+Li{\mathrm{H}}^{*}(n)+\mathrm{Li}H∗(n)+Li are calculated.
The excitation and deexcitation processes in slow collisions of highly excited (Rydberg) atoms with ground-state parent atoms are considered. A mechanism, based on the quasiresonant energy transfer within the electronic part of the colliding system, is proposed for these processes. Both direct and exchange reaction channels are included into the treatment. Expressions for the $n\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{n}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ transition probabilities are obtained in closed form. Probability and cross section calculations for some transitions and level decays in the H∗(n){\mathrm{H}}^{*}(n)H∗(n)-H system are presented.
During the last two years, theoretical studies were performed on a variety of topics related to collisions involving Rydberg atoms. Progress was made towards the understanding of ion-Rydberg atom, Rydberg atom-Rydberg atom, and ground state atom-Rydberg atom collisions. Cross sections were calculated for electron capture, ionization, and excitation processes and parametrized in terms of atomic parameters. A strong dc electric field was also incoporated in calculations of electron capture and ionization cross sections for ion-Rydberg atom collisions. The results of this latter investigation indicate the design of a far ir photon detector which is based on the field ionization of Rydberg atoms may be limited by the collision processes. (Author)
The results of theoretical investigations of the excitation, quenching, ionization and broadening of the Rydberg atomic levels in inelastic collisions with ground‐state atoms of buffer or parent gases are presented. The different physical mechanisms of these processes due to the scattering of the perturbing neutral particle on the quasifree electron and on the core of the Rydberg atom are considered. In particular the role of the potential and resonance scattering of the slow electron on the perturbing atoms in the quenching and broadening processes is discussed. The effects of the nonadiabatic transfer of the Rydberg electron energy to the kinetic energy of the colliding atoms and to the energy of the electronic shell of the quasimolecular ion are also considered. The results of calculations of the cross sections and the rate constants of the quenching, boradening and ionziation processes for some physcial systems are presented and are compared with available experimental data.
Charge transfer collisions between slow ions and Rydberg atoms have been studied for ion charges q=1−−4q\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}1--4q=1−−4, using resonant laser excitation to detect specific energy states of the collision products. The data collected show a clear resonance in the capture cross section to a particular energy state as the binding energy of the Rydberg target is varied. The resonance position differs significantly from the predictions of the classical overbarrier model, and its width becomes very small (0.025 eV) at the lowest velocities studied.
A stochastic model of associative ionization in collisions of Rydberg atoms with ground-state atoms is presented. The conventional Duman–Shmatov–Mihajlov–Janev (DSMJ) model treats the ionization as excitation of Rydberg electron to the continuum by the electric-dipole field generated by exchange interaction within the quasi-molecular ion. The stochastic model essentially extends this treatment by taking into account redistribution of population over a range of Rydberg states prior to ionization, which is caused by non-adiabatic processes in overlapping multiple level crossings of quasi-molecular Rydberg states. The redistribution is modelled as diffusion of electrons in the Rydberg energy spectrum using a Fokker–Planck-type equation. The process of l -mixing of Rydberg states at large internuclear distances and twisting of the collision trajectories on attractive potentials are taken into account. The choice of the collision velocity distribution is also shown to be important. Associative ionization rates have been calculated for Na**( nl ) + Na collisions with n = 5–25 and l = 0, 1, 2, and compared with the available experimental data and the calculations performed using the nonlinear DSMJ model. At relatively low n the stochastic model yields a substantially better agreement with the experimental data than the DSMJ model, while the results of both models converge at large n .