The recent development of a circular-polarization analyzer for the vacuum-ultraviolet spectral region has enabled a Stokes parameter analysis to be carried out for the excitation of neon and argon by 80-eV incident electrons. The results show that the transfer of angular momentum to the atom is positive and is in fact surprisingly "heliumlike." Small deviations from total coherence were observed and are discussed.

• Received 14 April 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.57.679