A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF H(N = 2,3) EXCITATION IN LOW-ENERGY H+AR AND H+XE COLLISIONS

The integral partial cross sections for the processes H+Ar, Xe to H(2s), H(2p), H(3s), H(3p), H(3d) have been measured for collision energies from threshold to 1.5 keV. They were obtained from an analysis of the intensity variation of the emitted light under the influence of a weak electric field, which was applied to the collision region. The method yields in addition a number of n=2 and n=3 off-diagonal density matrix elements (e.g. the sp coherence) and n=3 polarisation data. © 1990 IOP Publishing Ltd.