Method for determining cross sections of excitation transfer in collisions with atoms of rare-earth metals. 1. Description of the method
V.V. Gerasimov1,2
1V.E. Zuev Institute of Atmospheric Optics of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, Tomsk, Russia
2National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
Keywords: collisional excitation transfer, cross section, rare-earth metal, metal vapor laser
Abstract
A method for estimating cross sections of excitation transfer in collisions with atoms of rare-earth metals (REM) is presented. The cases of excitation transfer in collisions of REM atoms in unscreened resonant states 6 s 6 p with REM atoms in the ground state, as well as REM atoms in screened resonant states 5 d 6 s 2 with inert gas atoms are considered. The determination of the cross sections is based on the fact of collisional population of the upper laser levels from close-lying resonant levels excited by electron impact in REM vapor lasers. The quantities required for calculating the cross sections are determined from the active laser medium parameters and average lasing power. The advantages and disadvantages of the method suggested in comparison with methods based on optical excitation of metal atoms and recording non-resonant fluorescence are discussed.
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