Electron excitation of the singlet-g states of H2

Abstract

The optical method and time‐resolved spectroscopy have been used to study the electron impact excitation of the G ¹Σ⁺_g(v′=0,1,2,3) and I ¹Π_g(v′=0) Rydberg states and the K ¹Σ⁺_g(v′=0,1,2), M ¹Σ⁺_g(v′=0), and N ¹Σ⁺_g(v′=1,2) doubly excited states of the H₂ molecule. Emission cross section measurements in the range 0.2 to 3.3×10⁻²⁰ cm² and radiative lifetime measurements in the range ∼21 to 70 ns are obtained at 50 eV incident electron energy and ∼30 mTorr H₂ gas pressure. In addition, H₂–H₂* quenching rate data are obtained for several rovibronic levels of the singlet‐g states over the pressure range ∼10 to 400 mTorr.