Photosensitized Ionization of Molecules by Argon: Comparison with the Photoionization Mechanism

Abstract

Photoionization efficiencies of 16 molecules at the wavelengths of the argon resonance lines have been measured and compared with the analogous efficiencies obtained when these molecules quench photo‐excited argon atoms. The characteristic equivalence between the two excitation modes and the kinetics of the quenching corroborate the long‐range dipole—dipole energy‐transfer model. Exceptions are noted. Monte Carlo simulations of radiation imprisonment are illustrated and used to interpret the experiments.