Na-Cs Hornbeck-Molnar ionization

Abstract
An investigation of the 'Hornbeck-Molnar ionization' process between laser-excited Cs and ground state Na atoms has been performed in a crossed beam apparatus. Caesium atoms in the 8d, 10s, 9d, 11s and 10d levels respectively have been obtained by two-step resonant CW laser excitation. The relative collisional cross sections and the dissociation energy of the NaCs+ molecular ion have been obtained from quantitative analysis of the produced atomic and molecular ions. The experimental results are compared with the theoretical values calculated using a model developed by Janev and Mihajlov (1980).