Laser excited S2 → S1 and S1 → S0 emission spectra and the S2 → Sn absorption spectrum of azulene in solution

We present the S₁ → S₀ fluorescence spectrum, between 740 and 940 nm, of azulene solutions (10^?3 M in methanol) excited with a Q-switched ruby laser. The nitrogen-laser excited S₂ → S₁ fluorescence spectrum, between 700 and 930 nm, is also reported. The transient S₁ → S_n spectrum between 500 and 650 nm was studied, using synchronous nitrogen laser and dye laser excitation. The S₅ (¹B₁(3)) state of azulene was found to be located at 45500 cm^?1 and the cross section σ₂₅ of the transient absorption S₂ → S₅ is estimated to be 3 × 10^?18 cm²/molecule.     

Reversible intersystem crossing,fluorescence lifetime lengthening and collisionally induced phosphorescence in biacetyl

The emissions of biacetyl excited at 4200 Å were studied at pressures down to 10^?3 torr. Apart from the well-known nanosecond fluorescence, a new emission of the same spectral composition was found with a non-exponential decay in the microsecond range. Furthermore the phosphorescence, as defined by its spectral composition, was found to be collisionally induced.The results imply that after excitation, the molecule rapidly transfers (rate constant k_S→T) to the triplet state, giving rise to the nanosecond decay time; and can then transfer back to the singlet state (rate constant k_T→S), giving rise to the microsecond emission. At the same time internal conversion can occur (k_S→S0). From an analysis of the data we find for k_S→S0 = 2.4 × 10⁷ sec^?1, k_S→T = 7.6 × 10⁷ sec^?1, k_T→S = 1.9 × 10⁵ sec^?1. The kinetic treatment can be transformed to a quantum mechanical one, yielding values for the triplet level density (?_T), the coupling element V_ST and the number of triplet states (N) coupled to the singlet excited. At 4200 Å we find ?_T = 6.3 × 10⁵cm, V_ST = 1.0 × 10^?5 cm^?1, N = 400.Phosphorescence occurs only when the molecule is deactivated by collisions to a vibronic triplet state below the vibrationless excited singlet state. The efficiency of biacetyl collisions is 0.54.     

A violet emission from optically excited mercury vapour. Kinetics of the formation and decay of excited dimers and trimers

A new electronic systems has been observed from excited Hg vapour, which is assigned to collisionally induced emission from the Hg₂ O^±_g first excited states of the dimer: Hg₂O^±_g + M → 2Hg(6 ¹S₀) + M + hv(γ_max 3950 A). For M = N₂, the rate coefficient is 5.3(±0.7) × 10^?19 cm³ molecule^?1 at 298 K. From time resolved measurements of the luminescence in the afterglow following pulsed excitation, the decay rate of the green emission, in an excess of N₂, is shown to be a linear function of [Hg][N₂]. It is concluded that the reaction which controls the decay of the excitation is formation of an excited trimer in a termolecular reaction; the trimer is the carrier of the green emission: Hg₂ O^±_g + Hg(6 ¹S₀ + Hg(6¹S₀ + N₂ → Hg₃³Π_u + N₂. The rate coefficient is 1.10(±0.07) × 10^?30 cm⁶ molecule^?2 s^?1 at 298 K.     

N‐Annulated Perylene‐Substituted and Fused Porphyrin Dimers with Intense Near‐Infrared One‐Photon and Two‐Photon Absorption

Fusion of two N‐annulated perylene (NP) units with a fused porphyrin dimer along the S₀–S₁ electronic transition moment axis has resulted in new near‐infrared (NIR) dyes 1 a / 1 b with very intense absorption (ε>1.3×10⁵ M ^?1 cm^?1) beyond 1250 nm. Both compounds displayed moderate NIR fluorescence with fluorescence quantum yields of 4.4×10^?6 and 6.0×10^?6 for 1 a and 1 b , respectively. The NP‐substituted porphyrin dimers 2 a / 2 b have also been obtained by controlled oxidative coupling and cyclodehydrogenation, and they showed superimposed absorptions of the fused porphyrin dimer and the NP chromophore. The excited‐state dynamics of all of these compounds have been studied by femtosecond transient absorption measurements, which revealed porphyrin dimer‐like behaviour. These new chromophores also exhibited good nonlinear optical susceptibility with large two‐photon absorption cross‐sections in the NIR region due to extended π‐conjugation. Time‐dependent density functional theory calculations have been performed to aid our understanding of their electronic structures and absorption spectra.     

A STUDY OF THE PHOTOPHYSICAL AND PHOTOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE S8 MOLECULE The Quenching of Benzene,Naphthalene and Pyrene Fluorescence by S8 Molecules in S8 + Liquid Methanol System. I

Abstract

The energy of the first excited singlet state S₁ of S₈ is estimated as 89 ± 3 kcal · mole^?1. S₈ does not exhibit fluorescence, but quenches the fluorescence of certain sensitizers (benzene, naphthalene, pyrene) acting as an energy acceptor in the energy transfer process from the S₁ state of the sensitizer. The process of the quenching of donor fluorescence by S₈ was analysed using the Stern–Volmer equation.     

Through bond mechanism versus exciplex formation in the photochemistry of fullerene / ferrocene donor-bridge-acceptor dyads

A systematic fluorescence and flash photolytic investigation of a series of covalently linked fullerene / ferrocene based donor-bridge-acceptor dyads is reported as a function of the nature of the bridge between the donor site and acceptor site. The fluorescence of the investigated dyads 2 (Φ_rel = 0.17 × 10^?4, 3 (Φ_rel = 0.78 × 10^?4), 4 (Φ_rel = 1.5 × 10^?4), 5 (Φ_rel = 0.7 × 10^?4), and 6 (Φ_rel = 2.9 × 10^?4) were substantially quenched, relative to N-methyl fulleropyrrolidine (1) (Φ_rel = 6.0 × 10^?4). Photolysis of N-methyl fulleropyrrolidine (1) in toluene revealed formation of the excited singlet state which was followed by a rapid intersystem crossing to the excited triplet state. On the other hand, the fate of the excited singlet state of 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 was found to be governed by rapid intramolecular quenching, with rate constants of 28×10⁹ s^?1, 6.9×10⁹ s^?1, and 3.4×10⁹ s^?1, 14×10⁹ s^?1, 2.3×10⁹ s^?1 respectively. The electron transfer process and the charge separation were confirmed by monitoring the characteristic π-radical anion bands at λ_max = 400 and 1055 nm in degassed benzonitrile with τ_1/2 = 1.8 μs (3) and 2.5 μs (4).     

Radiationless decay of the second excited singlet states of aromatic thiones: Experimental verification of the energy gap law

S₂ → S₀ fluorescence quantum yields and S₂ lifetimes of eight aromatic thiones in inert perfluoroalkane solutions at room temperature have been measured using picosecond laser techniques. Photostable, structurally rigid thiones undergo S₂ → S₁ internal conversion at rates consistent with the energy gap law of radiationless transitions. An average electronic coupling matrix element of 1.9 × 10² cm^?1 is found.     

Two-photon absorption study of Zn(II)tetraphenylporphin: Role of a higher excited singlet state of gerade symmetry

The S₂ state fluorescence of Zn(II)tetraphenylporphin has been studied by using two-photon absorption and optical—optical double-resonance techniques. The main process to populate the S₂ state was found to be a stepwise two-photon absorption to the S_nstate through the S₁ state. The large absorption cross section of the S_n ← S₁ transition (6.8 × 10^?16 cm² molecule^?1) at 540 nm suggests that there exists a higher excited singlet state of gerade parity.     

On the “anomalous” flourescence of 3,4-benzypyrene in the vapour phase

An analysis of the fluorescence of 3,4-benzpyrene in the vapour phase shows two contributions to the “anomalous” fluorescence: (i) the emission from the second excited state to the ground state and (ii) a vibronically induced S₁ → S₀ emission originating from the +520 cm^?1 vibrational level. A comparison between the intensities of the emissions indicates that in the vapour phase the vibrational redistribution from the 520 cm^? vibrational level of S₁ to modes of lower frequencies is relatively slow.     

Raman spectra in the electronic excited state: CARS spectra of lasing rhodamine 6G

By choosing ω₂ (4880 Å) preresonant with the S₁S₀ transition of rhodamine 6G, and ω₁ (4537 Å) resonant with the S₂S₁ absorption, the resonant CARS spectra for lasing rhodamine 6G in methanol, ethanol and acetonitrile have been observed in the 1500–1650 cm^?1 range. Strong positive bands, attributed to CARS from the S₁ state, replace the negative ground state preresonant bands as the S₀ state saturates at high laser beam power densities. A water solution behaves quite differently, possibly as a result of strong association of water with rhodamine in the excited state.     

Theoretical investigation of charge transfer excitation and charge recombination in acenaphthylene–tetracyanoethylene complex

Ab initio calculations were performed to investigate the charge separation and charge recombination processes in the photoinduced electron transfer reaction between tetracyanoethylene and acenaphthylene. The excited states of the charge‐balanced electron donor–acceptor complex and the singlet state of ion pair complex were studied by employing configuration interaction singles method. The equilibrium geometry of electron donor–acceptor complex was obtained by the second‐order Møller–Plesset method, with the interaction energy corrected by the counterpoise method. The theoretical study of ground state and excited states of electron donor–acceptor complex in this work reveals that the S₁ and S₂ states of the electron donor–acceptor complexes are excited charge transfer states, and charge transfer absorptions that corresponds to the S₀ → S₁ and S₀ → S₂ transitions arise from π–π* excitations. The charge recombination in the ion pair complex will produce the charge‐balanced ground state or excited triplet state. According to the generalized Mulliken–Hush model, the electron coupling matrix elements of the charge separation process and the charge recombination process were obtained. Based on the continuum model, charge transfer absorption and charge transfer emission in the polar solvent of 1,2‐dichloroethane were investigated. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem 94: 23–35, 2003     

Rate Coefficients of the Reactions of CN and NCO with O2 and NO2 at 296 K

The rate coefficients of the reactions of CN and NCO radicals with O₂ and NO₂ at 296 K: (1) CN + O₂ → products; (2) CN + NO₂ → products; (3) NCO + O₂ → products and (4) NCO + NO₂ → products have been measured with the laser photolysis-laser induced fluorescence technique. We obtained k₁ = (2.1 ± 0.3) × 10^?11 and k₂ = (7.2 ± 1.0) × 10^?11 cm³ molecule^?t s^?1 which agree well with published results. As no reaction was observed between NCO and O₂ at 297 K, an upper limit of k₃ < 4 × 10^?17 cm³ molecule^?1 S^?1 was estimated. The reaction of NCO with NO₂ has not been investigated previously. We measured k₄ = (2.2 ± 0.3) × 10^?11 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 at 296 K.     

Interpretation of the optical dephasing time and lineshape function in the S0 → T1 exciton transitions of 1,4-dibromonaphthalene

The lineshape function for the S₀ → T₁ absorption in 1,4-dibromonaphthalene (DBN) is analyzed in terms of exchange theory. It is shown that the dominant optical dephasing mechanism for the electric dipole transition to the k = 0 state in the band results from the absorption and emission of a low energy optic phonon. This process dephases the optical absorption because of frequency differences of the phonon in the ground and excited state. In addition, it is shown how to extract the energy of the phonon responsible for dephasing, the phonon absorption rate, and the lifetime in the phonon promoted state from the data. The analysis of the data for DBN shows that very little dephasing of the optical transition occurs before ≈ 15 K but from 15 K to ≈ 40 K the singlet-triplet transitions to site I (20192 cm^?1) and site II (20245 cm^?1) are dephased by absorption and emission of an ≈ 38 cm^?1 and 45 cm^?1 phonon respectively. The phonon absorption rates by the k = 0 state in the exciton band are similar for both sites being 5 × 10⁶ s^?1 and 3 × 10⁵ s^?1 at 4 K and 7 × 10¹¹ s^?1 and 4 × 10¹¹ s^?1 at 30 K for site I and II respectively. Finally, the lifetimes in the phonon promoted state for sites I and II are 0.23 and 0.28 ps over the range 15–40 K.     

Sensitized photoconduction in a polydiacetylene crystal (DCHD)

The photoconductivity of DCHD displays a maximum near 3.6 eV coinciding with the maximum of the S_o → S₁ absorption of the carbazole group. It is attributed to a sensitization involving charge transfer from the excited chromophore to the chain. The rate constant for non-radiative decay of the carbazole singlet due to energy transfer to the chain is 1.6 × 10¹³ s^?1, and for charge transfer ≈ 3 × 10¹¹ s^?1.     

Fluorescence from the second excited singlet of aromatic thioketones in solution

The spectral characteristics and the quantum yield of the fluorescence from the second excited singlet state S₂ of the aromatic thioketone molecules xanthione (XS) and thioxanthione (TXS) have been determined in solution at room temperature and 77 K. In 3-methylpentane, the measured quantum yields are φ_f (295 K) = 5.1 × 10^?3 and φ_f(77 K) = 1.0 × 10^?2 for XS, and φ_f (295 K) = 1.5 × 10^?3 and φ_f (77 K) = 2.5 × 10^?3 for TXS. Using the Strickler-Berg expression for the radiative lifetime, the decay rate of S₂ is derived. It is concluded that internal conversion S₂ ? S₁ is the dominating deactivation channel of S₂ with k^{77 K}_nr(S₂ ? S₁) = 1.0 × 10¹⁰ s^?1 for XS and k^{77 K}_nr (S₂→S₁) = 2.2 × 10¹⁰ s^?1 for TXS. Between 295 and 77 K, φ_f increases by a factor of about 2 following an Arrhenius type expression. This temperature dependence of φ_f is considered to be intramolecular in nature and is attributed to a temperature sensitive rate constant k_nr(S₂?S₁) with an activation energy of 190 ± 20 cm^?1 and a frequency factor k′_nr = 3 × 10¹⁰ s^?1 for the XS molecule in 3-methylpentane.     

The mechanism and kinetics of energy transfer processes in Xe–CCl4–M (M=CO,CO2) mixtures irradiated by xenon resonance light

The mechanism and kinetics of energy transfer from the Xe(6s[3/2]₁) resonance state to CO and CO₂ molecules have been investigated by XeCl(B–X) (λ_max=308 nm) fluorescence intensity measurements at stationary conditions in Xe–CCl₄–M systems. Steady-state analysis of the fluorescence intensity dependence on the xenon and M pressure at constant CCl₄ concentration shows that these processes occur in two- and three-body reactions: Xe(6s[3/2]₁⁰)+M→products; Xe(6s[3/2]₁⁰)+M+Xe→products. The two-body rate constants for above reactions have been found to be (0.7±0.2)×10⁻¹⁰ and (4.9±0.4)×10⁻¹⁰ cm³ s⁻¹ for CO and CO₂, respectively. The three-body rate constants have been found to be (3±1)×10⁻²⁹ and (2.4±0.3)×10⁻²⁸ cm⁶ s⁻¹ for CO and CO₂, respectively. It has been shown that the third order reaction is a very effective channel of xenon excited atoms decay at high xenon pressures (P(Xe)>50 Torr).     

Investigation of the molecular chemiluminescence SrCl(A2Π1/2,3/2, B2Σ+ → X2Σ+) and the atomic resonance fluorescence Sr(53P1 → 51S0) in the time-domain following the pulsed dye laser generation of Sr(53 PJ) in the presence of CH2Cl2

Time-resolved investigations of the atomic resonance fluorescence Sr(5³P₁ → 5¹S₀) and the molecular chemiluminescence from SrCl(A²Π_1/2,3/2, B²Σ⁺ → X²Σ⁺) are reported following the reaction of the electronically excited strontium atom, Sr(5s5p(³P_J)), 1.807 eV above its 5s²(¹S₀) electronic ground state, with CH₂Cl₂. The optically metastable strontium atom was generated by pulsed dye-laser excitation of ground state strontium vapor to the Sr(5³P₁) state at λ = 689.3 nm (Sr(5³P₁ ← 5¹S₀)) at elevated temperature (850 K) in the presence of excess helium buffer gas in which rapid Boltzmann equilibration within the 5³P_J manifold takes place. Sr(5³P_J) was then monitored by time-resolved atomic fluorescence from Sr(5³P₁) at the resonance wavelength together with chemiluminescence from electronically excited SrCl resulting from reaction of the excited atom with CH₂Cl₂. The molecular systems recorded in the time-domain were SrCl(A²Π_1/2 → X²Σ⁺) (Δν = 0, λ = 674 nm), SrCl(A²Π_3/2 → X²Σ⁺) (Δν = 0, λ = 660 nm), and SrCl(B²Σ⁺ → X²Σ⁺) (Δν = 0, λ = 636 nm). Both the A²Π (179.0 kJ mol^?1) and (B²Σ⁺(188.0) kJ mol^?1) states of SrCl are energetically accessible on collision between Sr(³P) and CH₂Cl₂. Exponential decay profiles for both the atomic and molecular (A,B – X) chemiluminescence emission are observed and the first-order decay coefficients characterized in each case. These are found to be equal under identical conditions and hence SrCl(A²Π, B²Σ⁺) are shown to arise from direct Cl-atom abstractions on reaction with this halogenated species. The combination of integrated molecular and atomic intensity measurements, coupled with optical sensitivity calibration, yields estimations of the branching ratios into the A_1/2,3/2, B, and X states arising from Sr(5³ P_J) + CH₂Cl₂ which are found to be as follows: A_1/2, 3.0 × 10^?3; A_3/2, 1.7 × 10^?3; B, 4.4 × 10^?4 yielding ΣSrCl(A_1/2 + A_3/2 + B) = 5.1 × 10^?3. As only the X, A and B states of SrCl are accessible on reaction, this indicates an upper limit for the branching ratio into the ground state of 0.995. The present results are compared with previous time-resolved measurements on SrF, Cl, Br(A²Π,B²Σ⁺ ? X²Σ⁺) that we have reported on various halogenated species and with analogous chemiluminescence studies on Sr(³P) with other halides obtained from molecular beam measurements. The results are further compared with those from a series of previous analogous investigations in the time-domain we have presented of molecular emissions from CaF, Cl, Br, I (A,B – X) arising from the collisions of Ca(4³P_J) with appropriate halides and with branching ratio data for Ca(4³P_J) obtained in beam measurements. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Photodissociation of dimethylnitrosamine

Photodissociation of (CH₃)₂N-NO following S₁(nπ^*) ← S₀ excitation yields (CH₃)₂N^? and NO with a quantum yield of 1.03 ± 0.10. These fragments recombine leaving no stable photopioducts. A fraction of NO produced by photolysis is vibrationally excited. The rate of the NO(v = 1) relaxation in collision with (CH₃)₂N-NO, measured by IR fluorescence, is (1.47 ± 0.03) × 10⁴ s^?1 Torr^?1.     

Electronic structure and magnetic properties of TMRh12 clusters

We report an experimental study of energy pooling collisions involving Cs atoms in the 6P and 5D states. The 5D state was populated by a cw dye-laser tuned to the cesium dipole-forbidden transition 6S → 5D at 685.0 nm. The 6P state was populated by subsequent radiative relaxation of the 5D state. The 6P population density was determined from the absorption of a cw diode-laser probe beam. The population densities of the 5D state and the higher, by energy pooling excited states were determined by measuring the corresponding fluorescence intensities relative to the fluorescence intensity from the optically thin quasi-static wings of the cesium D ₂ line. The rate coefficient for the process Cs*(6P)+Cs*(6P)→Cs**(6D)+Cs(6S) is found to be (4.2±0.13)×10^?10 cm³ s^?1 at T=570 K. In addition, estimates of the rate coefficients for the processes Cs*(6P)+Cs*(5D)→Cs**(7D)+Cs(6S) and Cs*(5D)+ Cs*(5D)→Cs**(7F)+Cs(6S) are given.     

Measurement of kinetic processes in photoexcited stilbene solutions

The kinetics of photophysical processes has been measured in stilbene solutions in the temperature range between ?40°C and 20°C. The population of the S₁ level excited by two-photon absorption (TPA) and of secondary populated levels has been investigated using a probe beam method. It was found an energy barrier ΔE = 5 × 10² cm^?1 of the thermically activated transition S₁ → 1′. The rate parameter of this transition is determined to be k^?1_11′, ≈ 2 ps at very high temperatures.