SUBEXCITATION ELECTRON INTERACTIONS IN RARE-GASES - PRODUCTION OF ELECTRONIC EXCITED-STATES IN HELIUM OR NEON MIXTURES WITH ARGON, KRYPTON, OR XENON

The formation and decay of the 2p electronic excited states of the rare gases neon, argon, krypton, and xenon in a buffer gas of either helium or neon has been studied by pulse radiolysis techniques. The formation rate constants for these states are all greater than 2×10-9 cm3 s-1, precluding atom-atom collisional processes and supporting a subexcitation electron mechanism. The rate constants generally show a trend kXe>kKr>kAr>kNe. Quenching rate constants for the deactivation of some of the 2p levels are also reported. © 1994 The American Physical Society.