An experiment is described which measures the collision cross section for transfer of excitation in rubidium by helium. Rubidium atoms are pumped to either the ²P1/2 or ²P3/2 state by irradiation with one of the resonance lines. Some excited rubidium atoms are transferred to the other P state by collisions with helium atoms. The rubidium atoms then radiate both resonance lines. Measurements of the intensities of both resonance lines as a function of helium pressure are used to calculate the collision cross section. The cross section for ²P1/2 to ²P3/2 is 1.0×{}10^-17 cm²±{}10% and for ²P3/2 to ²P1/2 is 1.2×{}10^-17 cm²±{}10%.
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Beahn et al. (1966) studied this question.
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