Collisional dynamics of low energy states of atomic strontium following the generation of Sr(5s5p1P1) in the presence of Ne, Kr and Xe

The population dynamics of the lower energy excited states of atomic strontium, namely, D-1(2), D-3(J), (3)p(7), P-3(1) and P-3(0), have been investigated by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence following pulsed laser excitation to the Sr[5s5p(P-1(1))] state at 760 K in presence of the noble gases Ne, Kr and Xe. In addition, the P-1(1) and P-3(1), states were monitored by spontaneous emission under intentionally quantified conditions of radiation trapping for Sr(P-1(1)). The kinetic model employed yields a set of kinetic rate constants, radiation data, collisional propensity rules and the correlation of collisional cross-sections for all the noble gases with potential well depth. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.