Ion-core switching in Rydberg series of XeKr

Abstract

We investigate XeKr in high Rydberg states by mass-resolved optical-optical double resonance excitation spectroscopy. We excite XeKr via two-photon absorption to the v* = 0 and v* = 2 vibrational levels of an intermediate electronically excited state of Xe*Kr correlated to Xe*6p[5/2]2 and excite Xe*Kr further via one-photon absorption to the high Rydberg states of Xe**Kr in the energy range of 93200–97400 cm−1. The potential energy curves and the quantum defects of the d-Rydberg and s-Rydberg series of Xe**Kr, converging the A 2Π3/2 state of XeKr+ are determined. From the kinetic energy release in the predissociation process, we conclude that the ion-core switching occurs by the interaction between the bound electronic states of Xe**Kr converging to the A 2Π3/2 state of XeKr+ and the repulsive electronic states of low-lying electronic states of XeKr**. Based on numerical simulations, we interpret the dependence of the yield of the ion-core switching on the excitation energy in terms of the population transfer from the bound electronic states of the high Rydberg states Xe**Kr, converging to the A 2Π3/2 state of XeKr+, to those converging to the electronic ground X2 Σ 1 / 2 + state of XeKr + .