Creation of secondary excitons in solid Ar observed in the luminescence of molecular self-trapped excitons (M-STE)

Abstract Secondary exciton formation in Ar polycrystals was investigated. Using time-resolved luminescence methods the `prompt’ creation of secondary excitons was experimentally separated from delayed electron–hole recombination. The experimentally observed threshold of secondary exciton production is compared to the values provided by various theoretical approaches. Furthermore luminescence excitation spectra of Ar crystals and small Ar clusters in the threshold region of secondary excitations are compared.