Electron impact excitation of the 3s3p 3P state of magnesium from the ground state

Abstract

Differential cross sections (DCSs) for electron-impact excitation of the 3s3p 3P state of magnesium from the ground state have been measured at incident electron energies of 10, 15, 20, 40 and 60 eV. The energy-loss (ΔE = 0–5 eV) spectra have been recorded at separate scattering angles (θ) up to 150°. The absolute DCSs were determined by using (3s3p 3P)-to-resonance (3s3p 1P) intensity ratios and the reported DCSs of the resonance state (Filipović et al 2006a J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 39 2583; Filipović et al 2006b Int. J. Mass. Spectrom. 251 66). The absolute DCSs of the 3s3p 3P state were extrapolated to θ = 0° and 180° and then integrated to obtain integral cross sections. The results have been analysed and compared with available experimental data and theoretical calculations.