RESEARCH ON METASTABLE SPECIES IN ATOMIC MOLECULAR BEAMS PRODUCED BY CHARGE TRANSFER
Abstract
It is clear that excited atomic and molecular species play an important role in reentry phenomena. To understand and predict these phenomena, measured cross sections involving the excited species are required. A practical and general method of producing beams of metastable atoms and molecules is needed in order to measure these cross sections. For this use, nearresonant electron capture reactions are shown to produce excited neutral beams from ion beams with high efficiency. Total electron capture cross sections have been measured for the ions He(+) and Ar(+) in Rb and Cs in the energy range from 10 to 1500 eV. In these reactions, near energy resonances with the lowest metastable and allowed excited states of He and Ar occur, and capture into these states should be preferred. Cross sections ranging from 0.3 to 1.7 x 10 to the -14 power sq. cm were measured, the magnitude of which indicates that most of the reactions lead to excited states. A preliminary experiment with N2(+) in Na gives strong indication of efficient production of excited N2.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 20, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0622272
Entities
People
- D. C. Lorents
- J. R. Peterson
Organizations
- SRI International