Penning and associative ionizations in collisions of laser-excited Na atoms with K atoms

Collisional ionization has been observed in the collision of electronically excited sodium atoms with potassium atoms. By means of the crossed-beam and stepwise laser excitation technique and time-of-flight measurements, the following reactions have been investigated: Penning ionization, Na* + K → Na + K+ + e-, and associative ionization, Na* + K → NaK+ + e-. (orig.)