Analysis of the efficiencies of electron capture processes by ions to the Rydberg states and inelastic $n\to n'$ transitions in rare gas mixture plasmas

We have carried out the comparative analysis of the efficiencies of resonant and non-resonant mechanisms of electron capture by ions into Rydberg states of atoms, Xe$(n)$, and the inelastic $n\to n'$ transitions between the highly-excited states in the plasmas of rare gas mixtures, Rg/Xe, containing atomic, Xe$^{+}$, and molecular, RgXe$^{+}$ and Xe$_{2}^{+}$, ions (Rg = Ne, Ar and Kr, [Xe] $\ll$ [Rg]). The rate constants of resonant electron capture by Xe$^{+}$ ions in ternary collisions with rare gas atoms, Rg $(^{1}S_{0})$, and dissociative recombination of heteronuclear, RgXe$^{+}$, and homonuclear, Xe$_{2}^{+}$, ions were evaluated on the basis of the original approach within the framework of the theory of non-adiabatic transitions between electronic terms of RgXe$^{+}$+$e$ system. For the alternative mechanism of the three-body electron capture by Xe$^{+}$ ions in collisions with Ne, Ar and Kr atoms the calculations of the rate constants were carried out in the impulse approximation by taking into account both short-range and polarization electron-atom interactions. The rate constants of the three-body electron capture by ions and $n\to n'$ transitions in collisions with electrons were calculated on the basis of the well-known theoretical models. We have determined the ranges of plasma ionization degree and electronic and gas temperatures as well as the principal quantum number of Xe atom which correspond to situations when the resonant free-bound and bound-bound transitions of electron play a key role.