Implantação de um espectrômetro de estados metaestáveis de alvos gasosos

Abstract

The study of resonances through metastable states of atoms and molecules by electron impact shows spectra with well-defined structures, providing direct information on the energies of resonances formation, as well as its shapes and widths. The investigation of these resonances is important in several branches of science, such as many technological and biological applications. In this work we have assembled at Laboratory of Atomic and Molecular Physics an electron impact spectrometer which allowed us to collect metastables excitations functions of Argon, Helium and the Nitrogen molecules. As far we know, that was the first time that this technique was performed in Brazil. That spectrometer applies the cross beam technique, and consists of a monochromatized electron gun, an effusive gas beam, a cage to shield the collision region, a metastable detector properly positioned and a Faraday cup. The monocromatized electron gun built has a high efficiency, covering continuously the energy range from 7 to 200 eV, with a resolution of about 50 meV. The three spectras recorded in this work cover the energy range from the excitation metastable threshold up to energy lower than the first ionization potential of the targets studied.