Eur. Phys. J. D (2013) 67: 262
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2013-40542-2

Regular Article

Collision induced modification of spectral lines in the first autoionization region of barium

¹ Department of Physics, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 5969, 13060 Safat, Kuwait
² Institute of Physics, Bijenicka cesta 46, Zagreb, Croatia

^a e-mail: kafrousheh@gmail.com

Received: 30 August 2013
Received in final form: 22 October 2013
Published online: 12 December 2013

Abstract

The spectrum of barium above the first ionization potential is significantly modified by collisions with rare gas atoms. Atomic Ba vapor was produced in a heat-pipe oven. The two ground state electrons of Ba were excited simultaneously using non-resonant two-photon absorption to populate the 5d_3/2nd_3/2, J = 0, 2 autoionizing states. The spectral region corresponding to this series was studied when Ba atoms were unperturbed, and when they were perturbed by the noble gases Ar, Kr, and Xe. Besides the expected shift and broadening of autoionizing series due to collisions with rare gases, we observed new spectral bands and significant changes to the shape of the existing lines.