Penning Ionization of Zn and Cd by Noble-Gas Metastable Atoms

Abstract
The Penning-ionization cross sections for He, Ne, Ar, and Kr metastable atoms with Zn and Cd have been measured in a pulsed afterglow. Within the framework of existing theories we have determined those parameters which are of importance in collisions of this type. We find that our data are internally consistent if the cross sections are proportional to the cube of the "hard-sphere" radii and the effects of selection rules are included. A theoretical basis for this dependence is suggested.