Photoionization of excited rare-gas atoms

Cross sections have been calculated for photoionization of the first excited s, p, and d states of the heavier rare gases (neon, argon, krypton, and xenon). A semiempirical, central-field approximation has been used in which an effective core polarizability was adjusted to fit the computed eigenvalues to the known excited-state binding energies for each atom. The calculations have revealed interesting features in many of the cross sections, and these are described and analyzed. In addition, the role of excited-state photoionization processes in short-pulse raregas-halide lasers is briefly discussed.