Excitation of 3S, 3P, and 3P° Levels of Cadmium Atom in Collisions with Slow Electrons

The excitation cross sections and optical excitation functions are experimentally determined for transitions arising as a result of population of the 3S, 3P, and 3P° levels in collisions of slow electrons with cadmium atoms. The dependence of cross sections on the principal quantum number of the upper level is obtained for four spectral series of CdI, which is indicative of the absence of significant perturbation of these series. The obtained results are compared with the data of previous studies.