Inelastic and quasielastic collisions of Rydberg atoms with the heavy rare-gas atoms

The authors develop a semiclassical theory of collisions of Rydberg atoms with neutral targets. The impact-parameter approach is combined with the normalized perturbation theory. The transition probabilities and cross sections are represented in terms of scaled variables and analyzed in terms of dependence on an inelasticity parameter and a collision strength parameter. They show that the standard scattering length approximation, widely used for the Rydberg-atom-rare-gas-atom collisions, is not valid for heavy rare-gas atoms. Inelastic processes involving these atoms are substantially affected by the Ramsauer-Townsend effect. The authors present the results for quenching of the Rb atoms in nS, nD, and nF states in collisions with Ar, Kr, and Xe. They compare the theory with experimental data in a wide range of the principal quantum numbers and transition energy defects