Temperature dependence of the depolarization rates of Ne$^{\ast }$(2p$_{i}$ [J=1]) atoms induced by helium atom collisions

Theoretical depolarization rates for disalignment, disorientation, and alignment destruction of the Ne$^{\ast }$(2p$_{i}$ [J=1]) atoms at temperatures between 10 K and 3000 K are compared with measurements done in Ne-He glow discharges. We perform quantum close-coupling many-channel calculations using a molecular approach for the interaction between Ne$^{\ast }$(2p$_{i}$ [J=1]) and He atoms [1]. Excellent agreement between our calculations and experimental data above 77 K [1, 2] is found for all the J = 1 states. For the 2p$_{5}$ and 2p$_{7}$ states this agreement is found even down to 20K. The temperature dependence of the depolarization rates can be explained using the anisotropy of the molecular channels [2]. However for the Ne$^{\ast }$(2p$_{10}$ [J=1]) atoms, our disalignment rate coefficients are larger than the measurements recently reported in [3] after the radiation re-absorption is subtracted from the disalignment rates. In this paper we carefully address this issue. \\[0pt] [1] Bahrim C, and Khadilkar V 2009 \textit{Phys Rev A} \textbf{79} 042715. [2] Khadilkar V, and Bahrim C 2010 \textit{J Phys B }\textbf{43 }235209. [3] Matsukuma H, Shikama T, and Hasuo M 2011 \textit{J Phys B} \textbf{44 }075206.