Partial Ion Yields Research Articles

IONIZING COLLISIONS OF LASER-EXCITED RARE GAS ATOMS

Using mass spectrometry and electron spectrometry, we have studied ionization of Ar and Kr atoms in thermal energy collisions with laser-excited short-lived Ne(2p5 3p J=1,2,3) atoms. The cross sections show a strong state- dependence, which is reproduced in calculations based on theoretical poten- tial energy curves and a single exponential autoionization width. Significant polarization effects have been observed in the total and partial ion yields and in the electron spectra; they can only be explained with R-dependent au- toionization probabilities favouring o + o electron transfer.