Ionization of Long-Lived Highly Excited Atoms by Collision with Molecules

Abstract

For the ionization of long‐lived highly excited atom A^** by collision with molecule B $${\mathrm{A}}^{\mathrm{**}}+\mathrm{B}\to {\mathrm{A}}^{+}+\mathrm{B}\mathrm{+e,}$$ a mechanism is proposed in which an electron in the long‐lived highly excited atom is ionized as a result of its energy gain from the molecule by the rotational de‐excitation. The cross sections at thermal velocities are calculated to be of the order of 10⁻¹³ cm² for polar molecules according to the proposed mechanism. This result is in reasonable agreement with experimental data.