Collisionally induced intramultiplet mixing of Sr(53PJ) metastable states by Ne, Kr and Xe atoms

An investigation is presented of the spin–orbit mixing within the Sr[5s5p(3P0,1,2)] manifold on collision with Ne, Kr and Xe at elevated temperatures following pulsed dye-laser generation of Sr(3P1). The population profiles of all three states were monitored individually by laser-induced fluorescence and fitted to a kinetic model involving six collisional rates connected by detailed balance. The model also includes mixing by Sr(1S0) itself. The resulting rate constants, together with those for Sr(1S0), Ar and He reported previously, are considered using a standard model employing the potential wells of the reactants and also a collision-complex model.