Deactivation of two-photon excited Xe(5p56p,6p′,7p) and Kr(4p55p) in xenon and krypton

Abstract

Lifetimes and bimolecular quenching rate constants have been determined for two-photon laser excited states of Xe*(5p56p,5p56p′,5p57p) and Kr*(4p55p) in krypton and xenon buffer gases. Collisional mixing between Kr*5p[5/2]2 and Kr*5p[5/2]3 in krypton is observed and analyzed using a coupled two-state model to obtain the rate of mixing. The measured rate constants for quenching of Xe*(6p′,7p) by krypton are 15%–20% smaller than those measured previously in xenon while bimolecular rates for the Kr*(5p) states are an order of magnitude larger in xenon than those in a krypton buffer. Measurements of state-to-state rate constants for deactivation and excitation transfer are also reported for these states in krypton and xenon buffer gases.