A NOVEL METHOD FOR THE GENERATION OF HIGH RYDBERG STATES OF ATOMS ANDMOLECULES

High Rydberg states (n similar to 40-100) of atoms or molecules were s uccessfully generated by impacts of laser induced photoelectrons. The Rydberg states thus produced were separated from ions initially by a 3 V DC electric field and then ionized by a delayed pulsed HV electric field. In this time-of-flight mass spectrometer, a large number of hig h Rydberg states of atoms (e.g. Ar), molecules (e.g., NO, C2H2, C6H6) and even certain fragments (e.g. C2H, C-2 and C6H5) were observed. The yield ratio of Rydberg states to ions was strongly dependent upon the laser power and the energy of the photoemission electrons, (C) 1998 E lsevier Science B.V.