FINE-STRUCTURE TRANSITIONS IN METASTABLE NE-ASTERISK(P-3(0,2)) COLLIDING WITH GROUND-STATE RARE-GASES AT THERMAL ENERGIES

The emission of XUV photons from collision-induced fine-structure tran sitions Ne(P-3(0,2)) +R-->Ne*(P-1,3(1))+R-->Ne(S-1)+R+hv(74 nm) has b een measured for R=He, Ne, Ar, and Kr(S-1) in a beam-cell experiment. The metastable Ne velocity ranges from 550 to 1600 m/s. No emission w as found for Ne(P-3(0))+R. An appropriate detector system enables the determination of absolute P-3(2) --> P-3(1) transition cross sections . The results of Ne(P-3(2))+He and Ne are compared with theoretical c alculations.