Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 1.13
Potential curves of
the XY
C
and XY
**
molecular
states. AI and energy
exchange process collisions
1.8
Chemo-Ionization Processes Involving Rydberg Atoms
We can distinguish two typical ranges of distances between the ion and the
perturbing atom considering the slow collision of the Rydberg atom A
**
(
n
) with the
unexcited atom B. First, we use a quasi-free representation of the Rydberg electron
when the atom B is in the classically allowed region of electron motion, taking
into account its scattering on atom B. Second, atom B is located in the classically
forbidden zone. Here you can see the process of the chemo-ionization with partners
A
C
and B (Fig.
1.14
).
The charge-recharge and ion-molecule reactions
A
C
C
B
!
A
C
B
C
(1.65)
A
C
C
BC
!
AB
C
C
e
(1.66)
should be also attributed here to the inelastic processes. In this connection, we
should mention two works in which a model of the ion core Rydberg atom A
**
is used. In the first study (Zhdanov and Chibisov
1976
), the interaction of the ion
core of the sodium atom with a dipole moment of the inert gas atom is considered as
the general mechanism leading to a change in the principal quantum number
n
of the
Rydberg sodium atom induced by their collisions. In the second paper (Devdariani
et al.
1978
), the ionization process in the collision of the atom A
**
with the atom
B is accompanied by a transition of the valence electron of the atom B to the atom
A
**
, when the optical electron of the atom A becomes free, i.e., the exchange decay
of the quasi-molecule AB
**
takes place.
