Atom-atom and atom-ion collisions

Abstract Three further types of collision between atomic systems in which no change of internal energy takes place are considered. These are collisions in which transfer of excitation occurs between two similar atoms, spin exchange collisions, and collisions in which the direction but not the magnitude of the orbital angular momentum of an excited atom is changed on impact. An account is given of the theory of these processes in relation to that for other processes, elastic scattering and symmetrical charge exchange, discussed in the earlier articles, in which no change of internal energy occurs. Methods for measuring the relevant cross sections are described. These make use of optical pumping and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. Comparison is made between observed and calculated cross sections.