Excitation of highly excited states by collisions between two excited cesium atoms

Abstract

Fluorescence from highly excited atomic states has been observed in cesium vapor irradiated by a dye laser tuned to either one of the 62S–72P transitions. The emission originated from levels as high as 1 eV above the state being pumped. The high-lying states are believed to be excited by an electronic energy transfer induced in a collision of two atoms occupying lower excited levels.