POLARITY OF LASER-EXCITED OPTOGALVANIC TRANSITIONS IN NEON

Irradiation of a gaseous discharge with a tunable laser produces obser vable voltage changes at wavelengths that correspond to electronic tra nsitions for species within the discharge. Optogalvanic (OG) transitio ns of neon have been investigated in the visible and near UV regions b y axially irradiating a hollow cathode discharge with an excimer-pumpe d dye laser. A variety of OG transitions that originate from metastabl e states have been recorded. A digital oscilloscope was used to record the waveforms of the OG transitions. The polarities of 29 OG transiti ons recorded in the near UV and visible are explained in terms of proc esses that affect the population of neon atoms in metastable states.