Energy-transfer processes in proton-excited Ar-Xe and Ar-F2mixtures

Abstract
Mixtures of Ar and Xe and of Ar and F2 were excited with pulsed proton beams and time-resolved spectroscopy was employed to study energy transfer from Ar to Xe or F2. Measurements were made of the quenching rates of Ar(1P1), Ar(3P1) and Ar2*(1u) by Xe and F2. The energy precursors of Xe(1P1), Xe(3P1) and Xe(2P32/(5d), J=1) are identified from Ar2*(1u), Ar2*(1u) and Ar(3P1), respectively. Excimers of ArF are populated by Ar(3P2) and Ar2*(1u) from the energy-transfer process and the ion-ion recombination process by argon and fluorine ions. The kinetics of Ar-F2, Ar-Kr-F2 and Ar-Xe-F2 lasers are discussed.