Formation and trapping of electron excitations in neon cryocrystals

Specific features of exciton states in neon are analyzed in the approximation of a rigid lattice, taking into account its easy deformability. Regular alteration of atomic and molecular states upon a transition from heavy inert elements to light elements leading to the emergence of a number of typical distinctions of band excitations in neon is considered. Dynamic parameters of electrons, holes, and excitons associated with resonant energy transfer in the crystal and with self-trapping of quasiparticles are specified. It is shown that the strong coupling of the lowest exciton state with local vibrations of the surrounding lattice results in mixing of free and self-trapped excitations and in a considerable decrease in the mobility of excitons. A comparison of experimental and theoretical absorption spectra of mixed states makes it possible to refine the parameters of the exciton-phonon interaction for the singlet and triplet components of the exciton. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics.