POLARIZED ELECTRON STUDY OF ANGULAR-MOMENTUM COUPLING IN THE NEON 3P STATES

The excitation of the 2p(5)3p[5/2](3) and 2p(5)3p'[1/2](1) states in t he neon 3p manifold by transversally polarised electrons is studied in the electron energy region near threshold and beyond. The spin-orbit and exchange interactions during the excitation are explored by the me asurement of integrated Stokes parameters P-2 and P-3 for the decay ra diation from these states. Experimental evidence is given for the brea kdown of LS coupling for the neon 3p (J = 1) state and the important r ole of spin-orbit and exchange interactions of the atomic electrons fo r the excitation of the state. Negative ion resonances strongly influe nce the polarisations of the decay radiations.