Electron-impact excitation of nitric oxide (A 2Σ+-X 2Π) -: art. no. 042701

We report absolute optical emission cross sections for 31 vibrational transitions of the A (2)Sigma(+)(v('))-X (2)Pi(v(')) system of nitric oxide for electron-impact energies from threshold to 740 eV using the optical method and a crossed-beam geometry. Our measurements include emission bands originating in the v(')=0, 1, 2, 3 vibrational levels and terminating in the v(') levels from 0 up to 11. We find good agreement between our emission cross sections, our measurements of the emission intensities from an rf discharge, and the intensities predicted by the Franck-Condon principle. We also obtain apparent level cross sections for the v(')=0, 1, 2, 3 vibrational levels of the A (2)Sigma(+) state; despite the presence of a cascade, these level cross sections are proportional to the direct excitation rates predicted by the Franck-Condon principle. We determine the total apparent cross section for the A (2)Sigma(+) electronic state to reach its peak value of 40x10(-19) cm(2) at 30 eV.