Excitation of the 6d 2D → 6p 2Po Radiative Transitions in the Pb+ Ion by Electron Impact

Abstract

Results of experimental and theoretical investigation of electron-impact excitation of the 6s26d D2→6s26p P2o spectral transitions from the ground 6s26p P21/2o level in the Pb+ ion are presented. The experimental excitation functions for the transitions, measured by a VUV spectroscopy method, using the crossed electron and ion beams technique, reveal a rather distinct resonance structure resulting mainly from the electron decay of both atomic and ionic autoionizing states. The absolute values of the emission cross-sections, obtained by normalizing the experimental data at the incident electron energy 100 eV by those calculated using the Flexible Atomic Code software package, were found to be (0.35 ± 0.17) × 10–16 cm2 for the 6s26d D23/2 → 6s26p P21/2o (λ143.4 nm) transition and (0.19 ± 0.09) × 10–16 cm2 for the 6s26d D25/2 → 6s26p P23/2o (λ182.2 nm) transition.