Formation of excited hydrogen atoms in electron detachment collisions by 3-25 keV H- ions

Cross sections within the range 3-25 keV for the electron detachment process H-+X to H(n,l)+X( Sigma )+e (where Sigma denotes all final bound and continuum states) have been determined for the formation of H atoms in the 2s state for targets of H and H2 and in the n=2 and n=3 sublevels for targets of He, Ne, Ar and N2. In the case of H2, total cross sections for Lyman alpha and Balmer alpha emission (which include the contribution from dissociative excitation of H) have also been determined.