Study of the formation and decay of KrXe* excimers at room temperature following selective excitation of the xenon 6s states

Abstract

The VUV emissions of gaseous mixtures of krypton and xenon were investigated at room temperature. For this purpose, a pulsed, brief, selective multiphotonic excitation of the two lowest atomic states of the 5p56s configuration of xenon was achieved. A spectroscopic and kinetic study was performed, for the first time, by comparing the radiation characteristics consecutive to initially populating either the metastable Xe[5p56s(3P2)] or the resonant Xe[5p56s(3P1)] states. The formation of the heteronuclear KrXe* excimers was clearly shown. The decay frequency of heteronuclear excimers correlated to the xenon metastable state obeys different scaling laws depending on the xenon pressure. The roles of heteronuclear and homonuclear excimers in the formation of VUV emissions of the gas mixture are discussed. Finally, two kinetic schemes showing the main reaction processes are proposed.