LOW-ENERGY ELECTRON-IMPACT EXCITATION AND RADIATIVE DECAY OF THE D3-DELTA STATE OF CO

The lifetimes of the d3Δ(ν=4,5) levels of CO have been measured using a delayed coincidence technique. The lifetime for the 3Δ1 subbands were found to be 9% shorter than the 3Δ2 and 3Δ3 subbands while none of the lifetimes showed the J dependence previously reported. The lifetimes of the 3Δ2,3 subbands of the ν′=4 and ν′=5 levels were found to be 4.67±0.33 μs and 4.02±0.32 μs while the lifetimes of the 3Δ 1 subbands of the ν′=4 and ν′=5 levels were found to be 4.27±0.31 νs and 3.69±0.34 νs, respectively. Long lived cascades with lifetimes of 16.1±0.9 μs and 13.3Plusmn;1.1 μs were found to feed the ν′=4 and ν′=5 levels, respectively. Quenching cross sections and the (d→X):(d→a) branching ratio are given for ν′=4,5 and discrepancies with previous works are discussed. © 1980 American Institute of Physics.