Abstract

The first bound-free triplet emission band $c\hspace{0.17em}{{}^3\mathrm{\Sigma }}_g^{+}\to a\hspace{0.17em}{{}^3\mathrm{\Sigma }}_u^{+}$ of Na₂ was observed by electron-beam excitation of a dense Na vapor. The unfavorable selection rules for optical pumping the upper state were found to be compensated for by collisional energy transfer from the 3P-state atom, which was efficiently excited by the electron beam. The main mechanisms of energy transfer for the upper-state formation are proposed to be three-body collision recombination and atom–molecule collisional energy transfer.

© 1991 Optical Society of America

Experimental observation of the (3)Σ1u+ state of Na₂ by deperturbation of the CΠ1_u−XΣ1g+ system

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Doppler-free ultraviolet excitation spectra of CΠ1_u−XΣ1g+ in Na₂ by modulated population spectroscopy

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