Pressure Dependence of the Xenon Continuum Radiation Decay Rate

The lifetime of the continuum radiation of xenon was determined over the pressure range of 1–280 torr. The experimental approach involved the use of the delayed coincidence counting technique and pulsed-proton beam to excite the xenon atoms. The continuum is interpreted as the decay of an excited Xe2 bound state to a dissociative ground state. This continuum cannot be attributed to free–free or free–bound transitions or any recombination phenomena. The natural lifetime of the Xe2 molecule is greater than 100 nsec.