Rb*Henexciplexes in solidHe4

We report the observation of emission spectra from ${\mathrm{Rb}}^{*}{\mathrm{He}}_{n}$ exciplexes in solid $^{4}\mathrm{He}$. Two different excitation channels were experimentally identified, viz., exciplex formation via laser excitation to the atomic $5{P}_{3∕2}$ and to the $5{P}_{1∕2}$ levels. While the former channel was observed before in liquid helium, on helium nanodroplets, and in helium gas by different groups, the latter creation mechanism occurs only in solid helium or in gaseous helium above $10\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$. The experimental results are compared to theoretical predictions based on the extension of a model, used earlier by us for the description of ${\mathrm{Cs}}^{*}{\mathrm{He}}_{n}$ exciplexes. We also report the observation of fluorescence from atomic rubidium in solid helium, and discuss striking differences between the spectroscopic features of $\mathrm{Rb}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{He}$ and $\mathrm{Cs}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{He}$ systems.