Electron spectrometry study of associative and penning ionization in laser excited sodium vapor

The first observation, by electron spectrometry, is reported in laser-excited sodium vapor of the primary low energy electrons produced by associative ionization and by Penning ionization of sodium atoms in highly excited n1 states. The sequential heating of these primary electrons has been observed in 1, 2 or 3 superelastic collisions with Na(3p) atoms. The variation of associative ionization was measured as a function of the excited state density by using inner-shell photoionization produced by synchrotron radiation. Finally, an associative ionization cross section of 3.8 X 10 -17 cm 2 and a Penning ionization cross section for the 5s state of 1.1 X 10 -12 cm 2 were found (within 50% uncertainty) for an oven temperature of 520 K.