Excitation Transfer Process Rb(7D)+Na(3S) Collisions
Yifan Shen
Abstract
The observation of a heteronuclear reverse energy pooling process is reported. The cross sections for the collision processes Rb(7 D )+Na(3 S )→Rb(5 P )+Na(3 P ) have been measured. In the experiment the rubidium atoms were excited in two steps to the 7 D _ 3/2 state. A double-modulation technique has been used to select the fluorescence contributions at the Na(3 P_j ) exit channels due only to the above reactions. The ground state sodium atom density was measured by the absorption of line from a Na hollow-cathode lamp. The measured density and fluorescence intensities have been used to obtain reverse energy pooling rate coefficients. The contribution to the rate coefficients from other processes is discussed.