Multichannel analysis of He*(21S)+Ne elastic and inelastic scattering in crossed atomic beams

Abstract

State-to-state elastic and inelastic angular distribution and time-of-flight measurements are reported for the scattering of He*(21S) by Ne in crossed supersonic atom beams at four collision energies in the range 0.6–2.8 kcal/mol. The inelastic collision products He+Ne*(nl), where nl=3d′, 4p, 4p′, 5s, 5s′, and 4d, are scattered predominantly forward with respect to the direction of incidence, except for endothermic states near threshold. The data are analyzed with a numerically exact multichannel curve-crossing model that yields good agreement with experimental cross section branching fractions and total quenching and state-to-state rate constants as well as the angular measurements. The model suggests the importance of intermediate ‘‘chaperone’’ states, in which the excited electron is temporarily trapped in a d or f Rydberg Ne orbital, in channeling flux into the 4s′ and 5s′ upper laser states of Ne by energy transfer from He*(2s1,3S).