TEMPERATURE EFFECT ON THE POPULATION OF THE LOWEST 0(U)(+) AND 1(U)/0(U)(-) XENON DIMER STATES EXCITED BELOW THE 6S[3/2]2 ATOMIC-LEVEL

Measurements of luminescence decay curves of the lowest excited xenon dimer states at the temperatures of 300 and 200 K under synchrotron radiation excitation below the 6s[3/2]2 (P-3(2)) atomic level have been performed. The results indicate a competition of processes between upward dissociation and vibrational relaxation in the presence of a strong collisional mixing between the 0u+ (P-3(1) + S-1(0)) and 1u/0u- (P-3(2) + S-1(0)) excimer states in high vibrational levels.