Collisional Processes Involving Atmospheric Gases

摘要

This report summarizes research works on the following areas. (1) Measurements ofcross sections for electron impact excitation into the metastable levels of argon and number densities of metastable argon atoms have been completed. We also measured the disappearance rates of the metastable atoms after the electron beam is turned off and the observed decay modes are consistent with diffusion loss. (2) Electron impact excitation of the vibrational levels of the C32u electronic state of the N2 molecule and the emissions produced by the excited N2 molecules have been studied. The relative intensities of the various (v', v) bands in the electron beam experiments are compared with those observed in a dc discharge. (3) A new novel method has been developed utilizing magneto-optically trapped atoms as targets for measuring electron scattering cross sections and applied to electron-Rb scattering. This new method has advantages over the conventional methods. (4) Further studies of cold trapped atoms have led to development of another novel technique, i.e., a new method for measuring total electron impact ionization cross section using trapped atom targets. Application to Rb shows that this new method has advantages over the crossed beam method.