Effect of rotational relaxation on the yield of the multiphoton dissociation of CF3Cl and CF3Br under TEA-CO2 laser pulses

The yield of the multiphoton dissociation of CF₃Cl and CF₃Br induced by TEA-CO₂ laser pulses has been studied in the pressure range between 0.25 and 8 Torr, the laser wavelength being chosen so as to excite preferentially the minor isotopic components¹³CF₃Cl and¹³CF₃Br. For both compounds the dissociation probability is found either to increase almost linearly or to decrease monotonously with gas pressure, according as the laser beam is focused or unfocused, respectively. This behaviour is explained by rotational relaxation effects, and a value of 22ns·Torr for the rotational self-relaxation time of CF₃Cl is obtained.     

Infrared spectroscopic study of the reaction of H atoms with CF2 in argon and nitrogen matrices

The concurrent generation of CF₂ and of H atoms upon exposure of samples containing CF₂N₂ and either HI or H₂S isolated in an argon or a nitrogen matrix at 14 K to 2537-Å mercury-arc radiation leads to the appearance of prominent infrared absorptions of HCF₂, demonstrating that this species is the primary product of the H + CF₂ reaction. Infrared absorptions assigned to HCF₂, DCF₂, CF₂I, and CF₂S in previous studies on other reaction systems are confirmed in the experimental studies here reported.     

Laser isotope separation of 13C: A comparative study

IR laser chemistry of (CF₃Br/Cl₂) mixture and neat CF₂HCl are examined in the context of ¹³C enrichment. Decomposition extent, enrichment factor and energy absorbed are measured for both systems at their respective optimum conditions. A direct comparison is obtained by keeping extraneous factors such as laser, its pulse duration, cell, irradiation geometry etc. the same. The halogen scavenged CF₃Br MPD requires lower fluence compared to neat CF₂HCl irradiation. Overall throughput for a product with 60–65% ¹³C content in a single stage is the same for both systems requiring a similar amount of energy. However, at lower enrichment levels, CF₂HCl MPD is better than (CF₃Br/Cl₂) photolysis in terms of both product yield and energy absorption.     

Reactions induced in (CF3I) n clusters by femtosecond UV laser pulses

The excitation and ionization of CF₃I molecules and their clusters by femtosecond UV laser pulses is studied. It is concluded that the types of excitation of free CF₃I molecules and their clusters by femtosecond UV laser pulses are different. The composition and kinetic energy of ion products observed upon the ionization of (CF₃I) _n clusters by femtosecond pulses are found to differ considerably from those obtained upon ionization by nanosecond pulses. It is shown that the molecular I ₂ ⁺ ion is produced in reactions induced in (CF₃I) _n clusters by UV radiation. Using the pump-probe method, we found the two channels of producing I ₂ ⁺ ions with characteristic times ??₁ ?? 1 ps and ??₂ ?? 7 ps. A model of the reactions under study proposed in the paper is consistent with our experimental results.     

Improved isotope separation in laser dissociation of trifluoromethyl halides: Scavenging of CF3 with HI

The efficiency of¹³C isotope separation by multiphoton dissociation using a CO₂ laser has been shown to increase by ∼33% upon addition of small amounts of HI to the starting mixture. The reason for this increase is that the CF₃ radicals are scavenged by HI more rapidly than they recombine with free iodine atoms to reform the starting material. For Torr and for 0.5J/cm² roughly 65% of the CF₃ and I radicals reform the starting material in the absence of HI. The results of this study indicate that at −80°C the rate constants for CF₃+CF₃→C₂F₆ and CF₃+I→CF₃I are about equal and are roughly 8 times higher than that for CF₃+HI→CF₃H+I.     

Doppler-free optoacoustic spectroscopy of O-18 methanol

The Doppler-free optoacoustic spectrum of the oxygen-18 species of methanol has been investigated with a CO₂ laser. Seventeen coincidences have been found between infrared absorptions of CH¹⁸₃OH and CO₂ laser lines. The strongest feature seen, pumped by the 10R(20) CO₂ laser line, has two plausible alternative identifications, determined from a parallel high-resolution spectroscopic study of the C-O stretching band. Further experimental tests are suggested to resolve the assignment, and predicted far-infrared laser frequencies are given for the two possibilities.     

Features of kinetic processes in the active medium of a pulsed chemical oxygen-iodine laser

Conclusion It can be concluded from our experiments and calculations that the product CF₃O₂ of the interaction between the CF₃ radical and the O₂ molecule quenches the oxygen O₂(¹) more strongly. At low chlorine admixture density in the singlet-oxygen stream this output energy of the oxygen-iodine laser with CF₃I as the atomic iodine donor is lower compared with CH₃I. The rate constant of quenching singlet oxygen by CF₃O₂ molecules is (3–5)·10^–11 cm³·sec^–1. It would be possible to decrease the influence of CF₃O₂ by adding to the initial O₂ ^*–O₂–CF₃I–Ar active mixture some other substance causing the CF₃ radicals to enter in a chemical reaction with a shorter characteristic time than that for CF₃O₂ formation. Of course, neither the initial substance nor the reaction products should quench O₂ ^* noticeably. This role can be possibly assumed by the NO molecule.The influence of the chlorine additive on the output energy of a laser with CH₃I and CF₃I differs greatly. The choice of the chlorine donor must therefore be determined by the amount of this additive. CH₃I is preferable if the chlorine is fully utilized in the singlet-oxygen laser, and CF₃I in the opposite case.Quantum Radiophysics Division, Lebdev Physics Institute. Translation of Preprint No. 21 of the Lebedev Physics Institute, Moscow, 1991.     

Frequency measurements in the 9μm spectrum of CF3Br

Carbon dioxide laser saturation spectra of CF₃ Br have been explored with a view to hyperfine spectroscopy and references for frequency standards in the 9μm band of the carbon dioxide laser. Spectra have been obtained using the laser transitions 9R(16)-9R(30). and show many saturation features in each case. Several of the stronger features have been referenced directly to CO₂ frequencies with an estimated accuracy of 25 kHz. Spacings between the hyperfine components are also reported. This work represents some of the first data relevant to 9μm locking to molecular absorptions.     

Resonance dipole-dipole coupling and Fermi resonance in CF4 dimers

The FTIR spectra of Ar(Ne)/CF₄ matrixes have been recorded at matrix concentrations varying in the range 10 000-600 cm⁻¹. The absorptions due to the CF₄ monomers and to the (CF₄)₂ resonance dimers in the spectra of the two matrixes have been identified. The intramolecular Fermi resonance in the spectra of the CF₄ monomers trapped in solid argon and neon has been analyzed. The spectra of the (CF₄)₂ dimers are determined by the strong resonance dipole-dipole interaction of the two interacting molecules and by strengthening or weakening of the intramolecular Fermi resonance interaction.     

Multiphoton ionization of iodine atoms and CF<Subscript> 3</Subscript>I molecules by XeCl laser radiation

We report about effective ionization of iodine atoms and CF₃I molecules under the action of intense XeCl laser radiation (308 nm). The only ion fragment resulting from the irradiation of the CF₃I molecules is the I⁺ ion. We have studied the influence of the intensity, spectral composition, and polarization of the laser radiation used on the intensity of the ion signal and the shape of its time-of-flight peak. Based on the analysis of the results obtained, we have suggested the mechanism of this effect. The conclusion drawn is that the ionization of the iodine atoms by the ordinary XeCl laser with a nonselective cavity results from a three- (2 + 1)-photon REMPI process. This process is in turn due to the presence of accidental two-photon resonances between various spectral components of the laser radiation and the corresponding intermediate excited states of the iodine atom. The probability of ionization of the atoms from their ground state I(²P_3/2) by the radiation of the ordinary XeCl laser is more than two orders of magnitude higher than the probability of their ionization from the metastable state I^*(²P_1/2). The ionization of the CF₃I molecules by the XeCl laser radiation occurs as a result of a four-photon process involving the preliminary one-photon dissociation of these molecules and the subsequent (2 + 1)-photon REMPI of the resultant neutral iodine atoms.     

Excitation and dissociation of polyatomic molecules under the action of femtosecond infrared laser pulses

The effect of high-intensity femtosecond laser pulses (100–200 fs) in the near (0.8–1.8 μm) and medium (4.6–5.8 μm) IR ranges on the CF₂HCl, CF₃H, (CF₃)₂C=C=O, and C₄F₉COI molecules is examined. Irradiation of CF₂HCl and CF₃H molecules by 0.8-to 1.8-μm laser pulses with intensities of >40 TW/cm² (>4 × 10¹³ W/cm²) makes them dissociate to yield CF₃H and CF₄, respectively. The key mechanism of the dissociation of these molecules is field ionization and fragmentation. The excitation of the stretching vibrations of the C=O bond in the (CF₃)₂C=C=O and C₄F₉COI molecules by 4.5-to 5.8-μm femtosecond pulses produced no detectable dissociation up to a fluence of ∼0.5 J/cm² (or a intensity of ∼2.5 TW/cm²). Probable explanations of this observation are discussed. Original Russian Text ? V.M. Apatin, V.O. Kompanets, V.B. Laptev, Yu.A. Matveets, E.A. Ryabov, S.V. Chekalin, V.S. Letokhov, 2007, published in Khimicheskaya Fizika, 2007, Vol. 26, No. 4, pp. 18–25.     

cw far-infrared lasing in15NH3, stark resonantly pumped by a CO2 or N2O laser

CF₂ClCF₂Cl and ethyl acetate have absorption bands of similar width centered at the same frequency. Kinetics of the decompositions of these compounds by a cw CO₂ laser have been studied over a range of laser frequencies extending to 25 cm^?1 below band center. At constant translational temperature and pressure, the CF₂ClCF₂Cl rate constant changes by more than 200 with frequency, while the corresponding change for ethyl acetate is at most 3. The effect of laser frequency increases with increasing CF₂ClCF₂Cl pressure, while the reverse is true in ethyl acetate. Arrhenius plots show activation energies independent of both frequency and pressure.     

Quantitative infrared photochemistry with CO2 laser of different temporal shape: Dissociation of CF3I with nanosecond pulses

Infrared laser pulses of different temporal pulse shape with a length of 2–50 ns and a nominal power of 100–1000 MW are generated by a TEA CO₂ laser oscillator combination using saturable intracavity absorbers and a fast CdTe electro-optical switch. The multiphoton dissociation of CF₃I + nhv → CF₃ + I at 1074.6 cm⁻¹ and p(CF₃I) = 10 Pa was studied using these pulses. The product yields and the absolute rate constants were determined for different temporal pulse profiles, showing clear intensity effects at low intensities and a transition to a linear intensity regime at higher intensities.     

Isotopically selective infrared multiphoton dissociation of 2-chloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane: 13C selectivity and mechanism

13 C-selective infrared multiphoton dissociation of CF₃CH₂Cl has been studied by analyzing the distribution of ¹³C concentrations of the main products CF₂=CHCl, CF₂=CH₂, CF₂=CHF, C₂F₆, and the trace products CF₃CH₂CF₃ and CF₃CH=CHF₃. The mechanism mainly concerns the dissociation of energized CF₃CH₂Cl, the collisional stabilization of excited CF₃CH and CF₃CH₂ and the recombination of the nascent radicals. No significant radical–molecule reactions degrade the intrinsic ¹³C dissociation selectivity. High ¹³C production yield and ¹³C concentration can be attained at a laser fluence of 1.6 J/cm². Such low fluence can be used to improve focus condition and enhance photon utilization efficiency for practicable ¹³C separation. Received: 10 March 1998/Revised version: 17 September 1998     

The photodissociation of UF6 using infrared lasers

The ir collisionless multiple photon absorption (cmpa) photodissociation of UF₆ is reported. Single frequency photodissociation is a accomplished with the focused output from a pulsed CF₄ laser operating at 615 cm^-1. When focusing the CF₄ laser output with a 7.5 cm f.1. lens, photodissociation is observed at laser energies as low as 5 mJ. By using a CO₂ laser (0.7 J, 1077 cm^-1) in concert with the CF₄ laser, significant enhancement (factors of 10–100) of the photodissociation yield is obtained at low CF₄ laser energies. Electronic emission is observed from the focal region, but only when both lasers are present.     

Effect of gas pressure and pulse length on the isotopically selective multiphoton dissociation of CF3Cl under CO2 laser pulses

The multiphoton dissociation of CF₃Cl induced by TEA-CO₂ laser pulses has been studied in a focused beam geometry. TheR(10) [00°1–02°0] ( ) laser line was used, so as to dissociate preferentially the minor isotopic component¹³CF₃Cl. The isotopic selectivityS and the dissociation probability per pulse ω were measured in the pressure range between 0.25 and 8 Torr. With short laser pulses (90 ns FWHM),S is found to increase slightly with gas pressure up to 2 Torr, and ω, to increase almost linearly over the whole pressure range studied. A schematic model is proposed which satisfactorily explains these results if the transition rates across the energy level spectrum of the CF₃Cl molecules are assumed to increase with gas pressure.     

IR Laser Control of the Clustering of CF<Subscript>3</Subscript>Br Molecules during the Gas-Dynamic Expansion of a CF<Subscript>3</Subscript>Br/Ar Mixture: Bromine Isotope Selectivity

The infrared (IR) laser radiation control of the clustering of CF3Br molecules during the gas-dynamic expansion of a CF₃Br/Ar mixture at the exit from a nozzle is investigated. Prominence is given to studying the possibility of bromine-isotope-selective suppression of the clustering of CF₃Br molecules due to their resonance vibrational excitation in the gas-dynamic expansion zone near the nozzle. A continuous CO₂ laser is used in experiments to excite molecules and clusters in a beam, and a quadrupole mass spectrometer is used to detect them. The experimental setup and the experimental technique are described. The dependences of the efficiency of molecule clustering suppression on the exciting laser radiation parameters, the gas parameters (composition, pressure) above the nozzle, and the distance from the nozzle exit section to a molecule irradiation zone are obtained. Bromine-isotope-selective suppression of molecule clustering is shown to occur at the exit from the nozzle due to the resonance vibrational excitation of gas-dynamically cooled CF₃Br molecules. When CF₃Br/Ar mixtures are used at pressure ratios p(CF₃Br): p(Ar) = 1: 10 and 1: 30, the enrichment of a cluster beam by bromine isotopes are K_enr(⁸¹Br) ≈ 1.18 ± 0.09 and 1.12 ± 0.07 during the 9R(30) laser line (1084.635 cm^–1) irradiation of a jet. The clustering suppression selectivity is α ≈ 1.18 when the mixture at the pressure ratio p(CF₃Br): p(Ar) = 1: 10 is used. These results suggest that the proposed method can selectively control the clustering of the molecules containing the heavy element isotopes that have a small isotope shift in IR absorption spectra (OsO₄, WF₆, UF₆).     

High-resolution diode laser spectra of the ν4 mode of 12CF3I and 13CF3I

High-resolution spectra of the ν₄ mode of ¹²CF₃I and ¹³CF₃I have been recorded using diode laser spectroscopic techniques. The sample was cooled to 163 ± 10 K to suppress the hot bands. Natural CF₃I containing 98.9% ¹²CF₃I and 1.1% ¹³CF₃I was used for recording the spectra. About 1200 lines in the P and R branches of each isotopic molecule have been assigned and used in the least-squares fit. The pseudoparallel structure of the bands has been understood and accurate values of rotational constants have been obtained.     

Absorption of CO 2 laser emission by freon-12

The infrared (IR) absorption of freon-12 (CF₂Cl₂) was studied in the emission range of a 3-W tunable CW CO₂ laser by using a brass cell with KBr windows that was located outside the laser resonator. The results show that CF₂Cl₂ absorbs all CO₂ laser emission lines in the ranges of 1073–1083 cm^-1 and 937–943 cm^-1. The most strongly absorbed laser line was 10P (28) ( 937.21 cm^-1). Absorption coefficient values were obtained for all available wavelengths of the CO₂ laser as the CF₂Cl₂ pressure was varied from 5 to 1000 mbar. By using the HITRAN database for freon-12, the absorption coefficients were calculated at the 10P (28) and 9R (28) lines as functions of the gas pressure and compared with the experimental values. The calculated results are in reasonable agreement with the experiment. PACS 33.20.Ea; 42.55.-f; 42.55.Lt     

Multiphoton fragmentation and ionization of CF2HCl molecules and clusters by UV radiation

The results of experimental studies of multiphoton ionization of CF₂HCl molecules and clusters by UV laser radiation in the wavelength range 217–236 nm are reported. In the case of molecules, the main reaction products are CF₂H⁺ and CF⁺ ions as well as atomic chlorine. It is found that the spectra of the products of ionization of free molecules and molecules condensed into clusters differ qualitatively: multiphoton ionization of clusters does not yield CF₂H⁺ ions. The dependences of the ion yield on the intensity of laser radiation and its wavelength are measured. The effect of a constant electric field and the radiation spectral width on the multiphoton ionization process is demonstrated. The shape of the velocity distributions is determined for a number of products. A strong anisotropy is detected in the reaction of formation of CF₂H⁺ ions. Possible mechanisms for these processes are discussed.