Calculations for Ar + Xe* and ArXe+ + e

A number of fundamental atomic and molecular collision processes, including dissociative recombination (DR), are important in the kinetics of laser systems. For the past few years, we have been developing theoretical techniques to treat inelastic collision processes important in the atomic xenon laser. Specifically, these processes may be written: $$Xe*(n\ell KJ) + He \to Xe*(n'\ell 'K'J')$$ (1) $$Xe*(n\ell KJ) + Ar \to Xe*(n'\ell 'K'J')$$ (2) $$ArX{e^ + }e \to Xe*(n\ell KJ) + Ar$$ (3) Processes (1) and (2) are fine structure changing collisions. The quantum numbers specify the atomic orbital (nl), the details of the angular momentum coupling between the valence electron and the ionic core (K), and the total angular momentum (J). We have recently calculated the excited state potential curves and matrix elements necessary for a quantum mechanical treatment of the dynamics of these collisions.1,2 Process (3), DR, involves the same atomic particles (in a different arrangement) as processes (1) and (2). Our recent calculations have focused on the low lying excited states that govern processes (1) and (2). We are able to use some of the same theoretical techniques implemented earlier to obtain the relevant potential curves to analyze DR.