Depolarization of 4 2 P potassium atoms induced in resonant collisions

E. A. Gordeev, M. Ya. Ovchinnikova, E. E. Nikitin

G. D. Chapman

J. Guiry

S. Knezović, Cedomil Vadla, Mladen Movre

W. Berdowski, L. Krause

A modified Zeeman scanning method was used to excite selectively the magnetic substates of the $4^{2}P_{\frac{1}{2}}$ potassium atoms mixed with inert gases and placed in a strong magnetic field. The resulting potassium-inert-gas atomic collisions induced ${m}_{J}$ mixing in potassium, which manifested itself by the depolarization of the potassium resonance fluorescence. The polarization measurements yielded the following disorientation cross sections: K-He: 46 ${\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{2}$; K-Ne: 39 ${\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{2}$; K-A: 52 ${\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{2}$; K-Kr: 80 ${\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{2}$; K-Xe: 107 ${\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{2}$.

T. Shiner

The mj mixing cross section for disorientation of magnetically 2 oriented potassium atoms in the 4 ^2/2 state» induced by collisions with ground state helium atoms, was measured using a modified Zeeman scanning technique.The mj substates of potassium atoms, situated in a strong magnetic field, were selectively excited and the collisionally induced mixing manifested itself by the depolarization of the potassium resonance fluorescence.The depolarization measurements yielded mixing cross -14 2 -14 2 sections ranging from 0.77 x 10 cm to 1.4 x 10 cm .It is felt that this discrepancy may be due to a selection rule for transitions between the fine structure states such that £nij = 0 is preferred.