Electron impact with excited atoms

本课题的重点是稀有气体和碱金属原子激发态电子激发截面的测量。这些实验将有助于对原子过程物理学的基本理解，并具有许多技术应用。例如，这种碰撞在理解低温等离子体中起着主导作用，并且低温等离子体对于照明、半导体芯片的蚀刻和许多其他应用是重要的。 此外，在更广泛的影响，这一活动将导致研究生和博士后助理，谁也将参加本科教学的培训。建议邀请妇女和少数民族科学家访问物理系，与研究人员、研究生和本科生会面，探讨可能的合作，并发挥榜样作用，给予鼓励。

The focus of this research project is the measurement of electron excitation cross sections out of excited levels of rare gases and alkali atoms. The experiments will contribute to the basic understanding of the physics of atomic processes and have numerous technological applications. For instance, such collisions play a dominant role in understanding low temperature plasmas, and low temperature plasmas are important for lighting, etching of semiconductor chips and many other applications. Also on a broader impact, this activity will result in the training of graduate students and postdoctoral associates, who will also participate in undergraduate teaching. It is proposed to invite women and minority scientists to visit the Physics Department and to meet with researchers and graduate and undergraduate students for possible collaborations and in order to act as role models and to provide encouragement.