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Journal of Physics B Atomic and Molecular Physics

Theoretical prediction and experimental observation of (n+1)p→nl (1⩾2) transitions in excited sodium-rare-gas collisions

Françoise Masnou-Seeuws, Jacques Boulmer, Thierry Maurin, A. L. Roche, P. Valiron

Published Sep 4, 1982• 5 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Model potential calculations of Dolan and Masnou-Seeuws (1981) have predicted that rare-gas collisions could induce a population transfer from a Rydberg (n+1)p level to the nl (1>or=2) manifold. Such transitions would not be predicted by the Fermi model. A time-resolved laser fluorescence experiment has been performed. A selective population transfer from Na 6p to Na 5l (l>or=2) due to He Ne, Ar perturbers was observed, the time constant being a linear function of pressure. A comparison is given with theory in the framework of a two-step collision model. The experimental cross sections are then 26, 9.7 and 37 AA2 for He, Ne and Ar perturbers, while the theoretical cross sections are 19, 20 and 6.5 AA2 respectively.

DOI
10.1088/0022-3700/15/17/027

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The effect of core interactions in l-mixing collisions of Rydberg atoms with rare gases

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Coupled-channel calculations for collisions of Na Rydberg atoms with He and Ar have been performed to investigate the effect of the interaction between the Na + core and the rare gas. For n=10, channels corresponding to the levels nd and nf are included, and calculations are reported both with and without terms arising from the core. It is found that the inelastic cross sections (10 to 10f) are insensitive to the core interactions, whereas the elastic cross sections (10d to 10d) may change significantly. This result is consistent with the prediction of the first-order Born approximation.

Journal of Physics B Atomic and Molecular Physics•Jul 14, 1981•25 citations
Model potential calculations of Dolan and Masnou-Seeuws (1981) have predicted that rare-gas collisions could induce a population transfer from a Rydberg (n+1)p level to the nl (1>or=2) manifold. Such transitions would not be predicted by the Fermi model. A time-resolved laser fluorescence experiment has been performed. A selective population transfer from Na 6p to Na 5l (l>or=2) due to He Ne, Ar perturbers was observed, the time constant being a linear function of pressure. A comparison is given with theory in the framework of a two-step collision model. The experimental cross sections are then 26, 9.7 and 37 AA2 for He, Ne and Ar perturbers, while the theoretical cross sections are 19, 20 and 6.5 AA2 respectively.
The total cross sections for inelastic collisions between sodium and inert gas atoms, leading to 3 2P1/2 ↔ 3 2P3/2 excitation transfer in sodium, have been determined in a series of sensitized fluorescence experiments with sodium – inert gas mixtures. The sodium vapor was maintained at a pressure of 5 × 10−7 mm Hg, at which there is no trapping of the resonance radiation, and the inert gas pressures ranged from 0 to 1 mm Hg. The cross sections Q1(3 2P1/2 → 3 2P3/2) and Q2(3 2P1/2 ← 3 2P3/2) are as follows: Na–He, 86.0 and 44.8 Å2; Na–Ne, 67.0 and 35.4 Å2; Na–Ar, 110 and 55.9 Å2; Na–Kr, 85.0 and 43.6 Å2; Na–Xe, 89.8 and 45.6 Å2. The ratios Q1/Q2 are in agreement with the value predicted from the principle of detailed balancing and the cross sections also agree, as to order of magnitude, with some theoretically predicted values.
Abstract. The cross sections for the Na.4D/! Na.4F / excitation energy transfer induced by collisions with He, Ar and Na ground-state atoms have been measured. The sodium atoms in the 4D state have been produced by two-photon excitation using cw laser radiation at 578.89 nm. Within a model which takes into account collisional population and depopulation of the 4F level as well as radiative relaxation (direct or cascade) of the 3D, 4P, 4D and 4F states ending in the 3P level, the rate for the Na.4D / ! Na.4F / collisional transfer turns out to be related to the ratio of the steady-state populations created in 3D and 4D states. They have been determined by measuring the fluorescence intensities of the 3D! 3P and 4D! 3P transitions. The measurements yield the following cross section values for those
The cross sections for the excitation energy transfer induced by collisions with He, Ar and Na ground-state atoms have been measured. The sodium atoms in the 4D state have been produced by two-photon excitation using cw laser radiation at 578.89 nm. Within a model which takes into account collisional population and depopulation of the 4F level as well as radiative relaxation (direct or cascade) of the 3D, 4P, 4D and 4F states ending in the 3P level, the rate for the collisional transfer turns out to be related to the ratio of the steady-state populations created in 3D and 4D states. They have been determined by measuring the fluorescence intensities of the and transitions. The measurements yield the following cross section values for those processes investigated: , and , at .
The cross sections for the collision-induced transfer of excitation from the 2P32^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}2P23​​ level to the 2P12^{2}P_{\frac{1}{2}}2P21​​ level of the first excited states of the alkali atoms have been measured for several alkali-noble gas systems. The cross sections were determined with a conventional resonance fluorescence technique in which the radiation from a spectral source was absorbed and re-emitted by an alkali vapor at low pressure (\ensuremath{\sim}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ Torr), and the scattered light analyzed with a scanning spectrometer. Provision was made for the introduction of various noble gases at controlled pressures into the alkali vapor. The determined cross sections are (in units of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}16}$ cm2{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}cm2): Na-He, 41.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.9; Na-Ne, 36.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.5; Na-Ar, 64.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5.2; Na-Kr, 68.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5.5; Na-Xe, 61.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}4.9; K-He, 52.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5.8; K-Ne, 14.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.2; K-Ar, 34.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}3.1. The quoted errors are estimated 70% confidence intervals. The measurements are compared with other experimental results and with various estimated cross sections.
Semiclassical calculations of the quasi-elastic l-mixing and inelastic n,l-changing processes in thermal collisions of a Rydberg sodium atom with rare-gas atoms (Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe) as well as and atoms with Ne are presented in a wide range of principal quantum numbers. The main emphasis is put on the study of the effects in the Rydberg-atom - rare-gas-atom collisions associated with both the short- and long-range (polarization) parts of the electron - perturber interaction. It is shown that the polarization interaction between the highly excited electron and the Ne atom provides the major contribution to the cross section of the l-mixing and n, l -changing transitions. We show that the Ramsauer - Townsend effect in slow electron scattering by the heavy rare-gas atoms significantly affects the values of the cross sections, particularly for the inelastic transitions with large energy transfer. A quantitative explanation of these phenomena is given using the recently developed semiclassical normalized perturbation theory for the Rydberg-atom - neutral collisions combined with the modified effective range theory for scattering of slow electrons by the rare-gas atoms.
Coupled-channel calculations for collisions of Na Rydberg atoms with He and Ar have been performed to investigate the effect of the interaction between the Na + core and the rare gas. For n=10, channels corresponding to the levels nd and nf are included, and calculations are reported both with and without terms arising from the core. It is found that the inelastic cross sections (10 to 10f) are insensitive to the core interactions, whereas the elastic cross sections (10d to 10d) may change significantly. This result is consistent with the prediction of the first-order Born approximation.