Photo-acoustic detection on electronic quenching rate constants of NO excited states

The electronic quenching rate constants of NO A(2)Σ (υ'=0, 1), E(2)Σ (υ'=2, 3, 4) and F(2)Δ (υ'=1, 2, 3) states by gas air are reported. The experiments were carried out by measuring the total fluorescence intensity of A(2)Σ (υ'=0, 1)→X(2)Π (υ″) transition at various air pressures. It gives the Stern-Volmer plots. The quenching rate constants of A(2)Σ (υ'=0, 1) states are obtained from the slope of Stern-Volmer plots and the known radiative lifetime. Based on the primary results of the work, we have measured the quenching rate constants of high excited E(2)Σ (υ'=2, 3, 4), F(2)Δ (υ'=1, 2, 3) states for the first time with the technique of photo-acoustic (PA) spectroscopy. It is shown that the electronic quenching rate constants of NO E (υ') and F (υ') states are in the order of 10(-10)cm(3)/molecules. They are much larger than those of A(2)Σ (υ') state, whose rate constants are in the order of 10(-13)cm(3)/molecules. For E (υ') and F (υ') states, it is also found that the quenching rate constants increase with the vibrational energy levels. Similar result has been reported also for A(2)Σ (υ'≥2) states in existing literatures. The agreement indicates the potential use of PA spectroscopy for measuring the electronic quenching rate.