The A?1A1-X?1A1 two-photon fluorescence excitation spectrum of 1,2-difluorobenzene

The two-photon fluorescence excitation spectrum of 1,2-difluorobenzene was obtained with a tunable dye laser calibrated using a combination of the neon optogalvanic spectrum and etalon fringes. The spectrum consists only of A₁-A₁ bands but the use of linear and circular polarization divides the bands into two types. The 0⁰₀ type retains its intensity in circular polarization and, rotationally, shows little or no zero-rank contribution. The 5¹₀ (or 14¹₀) type loses much of its intensity in circular polarization and, rotationally, shows a large zero-rank contribution. These observations all accord with the trace of the two-photon transition tensor being close to zero for the 0⁰₀ type and large for the 5¹₀ type, the latter type being involved in vibronic interaction which mixes the $\text{A}\text{?}$ and $\text{X}\text{?}$ states. There is strong evidence for Fermi resonance between the 5¹ and 6¹10¹ levels. Parts of the one-photon absorption spectrum have been photographed to aid sequence identification and also to look for the 5¹₀, A₁-A₁ transition. This transition is not observed: nor is there any evidence for intensity stealing by b₂ vibrations.