Imaging Spin–Orbit Excitation of Yttrium through High-Energy Collisions with Rare Gas Atoms

The energy required for spin-orbit excitation plays a critical role in understanding translational-to-electronic energy conversion, particularly in chemical reactions involving changes in spin states. This is particularly important for transition metal atoms possessing <i>d</i>-orbitals, which result in multiple spin-orbit split energy levels at low energies. The accurate identification and characterization of spin-orbit transitions in such species require advanced experimental techniques and theoretical support. In this study, the spin-orbit excited collisions of Y(²D_3/2) with rare gas atoms Ne, Ar, and Kr leading to Y(²D_5/2) were observed using laser-ablated crossed-beam and time-sliced ion velocity mapping imaging techniques. Through a comparison of the forward angular distributions of Y(²D_3/2) to the backward and sideway scattering distributions of Y(²D_5/2) from elastic and inelastic collisions of Y(²D) with rare gas atoms, this study reveals that the spin-orbit electronic excitation occurs with high collision energy and low impact parameters from backward and sideway collisions. The effectiveness of the spin-orbit excitation process is strongly dependent on the collision energy or temperature, suggesting that energy requirements of the process have to be considered in chemical reactions involving changes in spin states.