The measurement of the electron excitation cross sections of the Zeeman states of the neon 1s levels by laser-induced fluorescence

Abstract

Absolute electron excitation cross sections of the separate Zeeman states of the metastable 1s₃ and 1s₅ levels and the radiation-trapped 1s₂ and 1s₄ resonance levels of neon have been measured at an impact energy of 18.2 eV. The technique is based upon analysis of the polarisation of laser-induced fluorescence from the excited atoms. It is found that the cross sections for exciting the various Zeeman states belonging to the same 1s level are equal to one another within experimental error.