  The wide range of applications using metastable noble gas atoms has led to a
number of different approaches for producing large metastable state densities.
Here we investigate a recently proposed hybrid approach that combines RF
discharge techniques with optical pumping from an auxiliary state in xenon. We
study the effect of xenon pressure on establishing initial population in both
the auxiliary state and metastable state via the RF discharge, and the role of
the optical pumping beam power in transferring population between the states.
We find experimental conditions that maximize the effects, and provide a robust
platform for producing relatively large long-term metastable state densities.
