2P12 excited iodine formation in the F + HI reaction

Fluorine atoms produced in a microwave discharge of SF₆ were mixed with HI molecules in a flow system. Groundstate and excited iodine atoms were monitored by measuring the absorption of atomic emission lines from an iodine resonance lamp. A model taking into account the formation of excited iodine atoms through the reactive channel as well as the VE energy transfer process from vibrationally excited HF molecules is discussed. The fraction of excited iodine atoms formed in the reaction is shown to be 0.5.