INVESTIGATION OF PLASMA EXCITATION VOLUME 1. ELECTRON IMPACT STUDIES OF SELECTED GROUND STATE AND EXCITED STATE RARE GAS ATOMS.

Experiments were undertaken to determine electron impact cross sections of atoms in metastable states. One or two electron guns were used to first produce atoms in metastable states, then further excite these atoms to other levels. Limits on certain cross sections of helium atoms were obtained. but the detection limits of the apparatus prevented exhaustive study. Excitation functions and cross sections of xenon were obtained in the wavelength range from 3000 A to 9000 A.