Exchange between Translational and Electronic Energies of Atoms in Their Impacts with a Surface

摘要

Electronic excitation of K, Rb, and Cs atoms resulting from their impacts with a sapphire surface is studied experimentally. The spectrum and the intensity of atomic emission are measured as functions of the vapor concentration. The contributions of surface and volume excitations to the vapor emission are separated. The concentration dependence of the intensity of near-wall emission is described as a result of atomic excitation generated at the wall and quenching at it upon diffusion. The probabilities of excitation and deactivation of atoms in their impacts with a sapphire surface are estimated from the measurement results and the values close to unity are obtained.