Resonance excitation of autoionizing states in alkali atoms by electron impact

Abstract

In the work, the main results on excitation and decay processes of autoionizing states in alkali atoms are considered. As follows from the data on excitation dynamics of subvalence shells in an impact energy region from the lowest excitation threshold up to 600 eV, at threshold energies their electron excitation results exclusively from the formation of negative-ion resonances. At mean impact energies, the cascade population processes due to resonance excitation and subsequent radiative decay of the upper states play an essential role for the low-lying autoionizing states. By comparing with theoretical data, the absolute excitation cross sections for autoionizing states and negative-ion resonances were determined. The absolute autoionization cross sections as well as the autoionization contribution to the total single ionization cross section were also determined. Keywords: atom, ion, autoionization, resonances, ionization, effective cross section.