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

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