Collisional relaxation of electronically excited Pb; 6p2 (3P2) and (3P1)

Abstract

Time resolved measurements have been made of the room temperature decay of excited electronic states of Pb. The excited atoms were produced by photodecomposition of tetramethyl lead and the concentrations of the excited states were monitored by atomic resonance absorption. Quenching rate constants of the spin orbit states ³P₂ and ³P₁ were obtained for the collision partners Ar, Xe, H₂, D₂, N₂, and O₂. These results are discussed in terms of curve crossings, curve merging, chemical reaction, and E→V energy transfer processes. Comparison is made with the quenching rate constants for these states reported by Husain and Littler.