Absorption and emission spectra of K atoms trapped in rare-gas matrices

Abstract

Pulsed dye‐laser excitation has been used to investigate the structure of the optical absorption and emission spectra of K atoms trapped in Ar, Kr, and Xe matrices at 10 °K. The intensity of fluorescence produced by laser excitation in each absorption band has been measured as a function of emission wavelength. Observation of the laser induced fluorescence has permitted the unambiguous determination of the wavelengths of the peaks of overlapping absorption multiplets. The principal absorption bands have been found to have doublet or triplet structures, depending on the rare gas, and are clearly associated with the 4s→4p transition in K. Weaker absorption bands have been detected which are tentatively assigned to the 4s→5p transition in K. Optical pumping between levels of a bistable state of the K–rare gas system has been observed.