Millimeter-wave-detected, millimeter-wave optical polarization spectroscopy

We report a new form of microwave optical double-resonance spectroscopy called millimeter-wave-detected, millimeter-wave optical polarization spectroscopy (mmOPS). In contrast to other forms of polarization spectroscopy, in which the polarization rotation of optical beams is detected, the mmOPS technique is based on the polarization rotation of millimeter waves induced by the anisotropy from optical pumping out of the lower or upper levels of the millimeter wave transition. By monitoring ground-state rotational transitions with the millimeter waves, the mmOPS technique is capable of identifying weak or otherwise difficult-to-observe optical transitions in complex chemical environments, where multiple molecular species or vibrational states can lead to spectral congestion. Once a transition is identified, mmOPS can then be used to record pure rotational transitions in vibrationally and electronically excited states, with the resolution limited only by the radiative decay rate. Here, the sensitivity of this nearly-background-free technique is demonstrated by optically pumping the weak, nominally spin-forbidden CS e (3)Sigma(-)-X (1)Sigma(+) (2-0) and d (3)Delta-X (1)Sigma(+) (6-0) electronic transitions while probing the CS X (1)Sigma(+) (v(")=0,J(")=2-1) rotational transition with millimeter waves. The J(')=2,N(')=2<--J(')=1,N(')=1 pure rotational transition of the CS e (3)Sigma(-) (v(')=2) state is then recorded by optically preparing the J(')=1,N(')=1 level of the e (3)Sigma(-) (v(')=2) state via the J(')=1,N(')=1<--J(")=1 transition of the e (3)Sigma(-)-X (1)Sigma(+) (2-0) band.     

Reaction dynamics of V(a4FJ)+NO-->VO(X 4Sigma-)+N studied by a crossed-beam laser-induced fluorescence technique

The dynamics of the reaction, V(a 4FJ)+NO-->VO(X 4Sigma-)+N was studied by using a crossed-beam technique at 16.4 kJ/mol of collision energy. The V atomic beam was generated by laser vaporization and crossed with the O2 beam at a right angle. The laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) for the transition of VO(B 4Pi-X 4Sigma) was used to determine the rotational state distribution of the reaction product in the vibrational ground state. Almost pure V(a 4FJ) beam was obtained by using the mixture of NH3 with N2 as a carrier gas. Comparing the LIF spectra of VO measured for two carrier gases, i.e., NH3N2 and pure N2, it was concluded that the vibrational ground state of VO(X 4Sigma-) is formed almost entirely from the reaction of V(a 4FJ) and the contribution of the metastable V(a 6DJ) is negligible. The observed rotational distribution was similar to a statistical prior prediction, and suggested that the title reaction proceeds via a long-lived intermediate, which is consistent with an electron transfer mechanism.     

High-resolution Absorption Spectra of Acetylene in 142.8-152.3 nm

The absorption spectra of acetylene molecules was measured under jet-cooled conditions in the wavelength range of 142.8-152.3 nm,with a tunable and highly resolved vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) laser generated by two-photon resonant four wave difference frequency mixing processes. Due to the sufficient vibrational and rotational cooling effect of the molecular beam and the higher resolution VUV laser, the observed absorption spectra exhibit more distinct spectral features than the previous works measured at room temperature. The major three vibrational bands are assigned as a CC symmetry stretching vibrational progress (v2=0-2) of the C1Ⅱu state of acetylene.The observed shoulder peak at 148.2 nm is assigned to the first overtone band of the trans-bending mode v4 of the C1Ⅱu state of acetylene. Additionally,the two components, 420 (μ1Ⅱu) and 420(к1Ⅱu),are suggested to exhibit in the present absorption spectra,due to their Renner-Teller effect and transition selection rule.All band origins and bandwidths are obtained subsequently,and it is foundthat bandwidths are broadened and lifetimes decrease gradually with the excitation of vibration.     

Spectroscopy of OCS-hydrogen clusters in He droplets

Clusters of para-hydrogen (pH2) and ortho-deuterium (oD2) have been assembled around an OCS chromophore molecule inside He droplets in a molecular beam and studied via IR diode laser depletion spectroscopy (nu approximately 2060 cm-1). The superfluid 4He droplets provide a gentle host ensuring a constant low temperature of either T = 0.38 K for 4He droplets or T = 0.15 K for both the pure 3He and mixed 4He-3He droplets. The spectra show well resolved rotational structure of the vibrational bands for each attached hydrogen molecule in the range n = 1-8. With only one (n = 1) attached pH2, HD or an oD2 molecule the best fit rotational constants were used to determine the structure of the complex, which was found to be in surprisingly good agreement with quantum chemical calculations for the free complex. With n = 5 and 6 the Q-branch disappears for the pH2 clusters but not for the oD2 clusters which is consistent with a donut model. The moments of inertia of the pH2 and the oD2 complexes are explained by a new model in which each of the 18 attached helium atoms in a shell surrounding the OCS molecule are assigned a mass of 0.55, while each attached H2 and D2 molecule has an effective mass of about 10 and 12 u, respectively.     

Photodissociation of laboratory oriented molecules: Revealing molecular frame properties of nonaxial recoil

We report the photodissociation of laboratory oriented OCS molecules. A molecular beam of OCS molecules is hexapole state-selected and spatially oriented in the electric field of a velocity map imaging lens. The oriented OCS molecules are dissociated at 230 nm with the linear polarization set at 45 degrees to the orientation direction of the OCS molecules. The CO(nu=0,J) photofragments are quantum state-selectively ionized by the same 230 nm pulse and the angular distribution is measured using the velocity map imaging technique. The observed CO(nu=0,J) images are strongly asymmetric and the degree of asymmetry varies with the CO rotational state J. From the observed asymmetry in the laboratory frame we can directly extract the molecular frame angles between the final photofragment recoil velocity and the permanent dipole moment and the transition dipole moment. The data for CO fragments with high rotational excitation reveal that the dissociation dynamics is highly nonaxial, even though conventional wisdom suggests that the nearly limiting beta parameter results from fast axial recoil dynamics. From our data we can extract the relative contribution of parallel and perpendicular transitions at 230 nm excitation.     

Laser-induced fluorescence and pure rotational spectroscopy of the CH2CHS (vinylthio) radical

Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) excitation spectra of the B-X (2)A(") electronic transition of the CH(2)CHS radical, which is the sulfur analog of the vinoxy (CH(2)CHO) radical, were observed under room temperature and jet-cooled conditions. The LIF excitation spectra show very poor vibronic structures, since the fluorescence quantum yields of the upper vibronic levels are too small to detect fluorescence, except for the vibrationless level in the B state. A dispersed fluorescence spectrum of jet-cooled CH(2)CHS from the vibrationless level of the B state was also observed, and vibrational frequencies in the X state were determined. Precise rotational and spin-rotation constants in the ground vibronic level of the radical were determined from pure rotational spectroscopy using a Fourier-transform microwave (FTMW) spectrometer and a FTMW-millimeter wave double-resonance technique [Y. Sumiyoshi et al., J. Chem. Phys. 123, 054324 (2005)]. The rotationally resolved LIF excitation spectrum for the vibronic origin band of the jet-cooled CH(2)CHS radical was analyzed using the ground state molecular constants determined from pure rotational spectroscopy. Determined molecular constants for the upper and lower electronic states agree well with results of ab initio calculations.     

Formation Mechanism and Emission Spectrum of AlO Radicals in Reaction of Laser－ablated Al Atom and Oxygen

IntroductionLaser ablation has been applied broadly toplasma production,cluster formation,nanometermaterial and thin film material preparation[1,2 ] .Us-ing spectroscopic technique and mass spectrometryto identify the transient species formed in the pro-cess could provide much useful information aboutthe prosperity ofplasma,the mechanism of materi-al growth[3 ,4] .Aluminum is an important metal material andwidely used in industry and daily life. To study thereaction mechanism of Al atoms with…     

Interatomic potential parameters of CdHe van der Waals complex derived from excitation spectrum of the C1 1(51P1)<--X10+(51S0) vibrational transition

The first time observed excitation spectrum of the C(1)1(5(1)P(1))<--X(1)0+(5(1)S(0)) transition in CdHe van der Waals molecules is reported. Vibrational spectrum in the UV region (2286.0-2296 A) was excited in a continuous molecular-jet-expansion beam of CdHe seeded in helium using an in-house-built nitrogen-dye laser system. The excitation spectrum exhibits two vibrational components (v'<--v'=0) highly broadened by means of unresolved rotational structure and some additional contributions of "hot-bands" components (v'<--v'=1). The last effect is due to an extremely small separation of the vibrational levels in the ground X(1)0+ state of the CdHe molecule, where v'=0 vibrational level is separated from v'=0 by merely 6.0 cm(-1). It follows therefore that even in an extremely cold environment (T(v) approximately 10K) of a jet-expansion beam the population of v'=1 level is feasible, due to some residual collisions, and hence the v'<--v'=1 transitions are highly probable. The assignment of vibrational bands and numerical analysis of the spectrum was based and obtained with the aid of a rigorous computer simulation of the C(1)1<--X(1)0+ transition including the impact of rotational structure and hot-bands contributions. As a result we obtained optical potential parameters of the C(1)1(5(1)P(1)) state of CdHe molecule which are further discussed in terms of our recent (and only existing) experimental results regarding the X(1)0+, B1(5(3)P(1)) and A0+(5(3)P(1)) states of CdHe as well as in terms of ab initio calculations results.     

Assignment of rovibrational transitions of propyne in the region of 2934-2952 cm(-1) measured by two-color IR-vacuum ultraviolet laser photoion-photoelectron methods

The infrared (IR) spectrum of propyne in the region of 2934-2952 cm(-1) has been recorded by the IR-vacuum ultraviolet (VUV)-photoion method. The spectrum is shown to consist of two near-resonant, but noncoupled vibrational bands: the nu2 symmetric methyl C-H stretching vibrational band and a combination vibrational band nucs. The previously unobserved Q line of the nucs band is observed. The rotational transition lines of the nu2=1 band produces IR-VUV-pulsed field ionization-photoelectron (IR-VUV-PFI-PE) signal at the C3H4+ (nu2+=1) photoionization threshold. The rotational transition lines associated with the nucs band do not produce IR-VUV-PFI-PE signal. Rotational transition lines of both vibrational bands are assigned and simulated; and ab initio calculations further confirm the assignment.     

Ab initio intermolecular potential-energy surface and microwave spectra for the Ne-OCS complex

An ab initio potential-energy surface for the Ne-OCS complex was calculated using the coupled-cluster singles and doubles with noniterative inclusion of connected triples [CCSD(T)] with a large basis set containing bond functions. The interaction energies were obtained by the supermolecular approach with the full counterpoise correction for the basis set superposition error. The CCSD(T) potential was found to have three minima corresponding to the T-shaped and the linear Ne-SCO and Ne-OCS structures. The two-dimensional discrete variable representation method was employed to calculate the rovibrational energy levels for five isotopomers Ne-OCS, (22)Ne-OCS, Ne-OC(34)S, Ne-O(13)CS, and Ne-(18)OCS. The calculated pure rotational transition frequencies for the vibrational ground state of the five isotopomers are in good agreement with the observed values. The corresponding microwave spectra show that the b-type transitions (deltaK(a)=+/-1) are significantly stronger than the a-type transitions (deltaK(a)=0).     

Computational study of the rovibrational spectrum of (OCS)2

In this paper, we report a new intermolecular potential energy surface and rovibrational transition frequencies and line strengths computed for the OCS dimer. The potential is made by fitting energies obtained from explicitly correlated coupled-cluster calculations and fit using an interpolating moving least squares method. The rovibrational Schroedinger equation is solved with a symmetry-adapted Lanczos algorithm and an uncoupled product basis set. All four intermolecular coordinates are included in the calculation. On the potential energy surface we find, previously unknown, cross-shaped isomers and also polar and non-polar isomers. The associated wavefunctions and energy levels are presented. To identify polar and cross states we use both calculations of line strengths and vibrational parent analysis. Calculated rotational constants differ from their experimental counterparts by less than 0.001 cm(-1).     

Ab initio potential energy surface and predicted microwave spectra for Ar--OCS dimer and structures of Arn--OCS (n = 2-14) clusters

An ab initio potential energy surface for the Ar--OCS dimer was calculated using the coupled-cluster singles and doubles with noniterative inclusion of connected triples [CCSD(T)] with a large basis set containing bond functions. The interaction energies were obtained by the supermolecular approach with the full counterpoise correction for the basis set superposition error. The CCSD(T) potential was found to have two minima corresponding to the T-shaped and the collinear Ar--SCO structures. The two-dimensional discrete variable representation method was employed to calculate the rovibrational energy levels for five isotopomers Ar--OCS, Ar--OC34S, Ar--O13CS, Ar--18OCS, and Ar--17OCS. The calculated pure rotational transition frequencies for the vibrational ground state of the five isotopomers are in good agreement with the observed values. The corresponding microwave spectra show that the b-type transitions (Delta Ka = +/-1) are significantly stronger than the a-type transitions (Delta Ka = 0). Minimum-energy structures of the Ar2--OCS trimer were been determined with MP2 optimization, whereas the minimum-energy structures of the Arn--OCS clusters with n = 3-14 were obtained with the pairwise additive potentials. It was found that there are two minima corresponding to one distorted tetrahedral structure and one planar structure for the ternary complex. The 14 nearest neighbor Ar atoms form the first solvation shell around the OCS molecule.     

Rotational spectra of vibrationally excited CCH and CCD

The millimeter-wave rotational spectra of the lowest bending and stretching vibrational levels of CCH and CCD were observed in a low pressure discharge through acetylene and helium. The rotational, centrifugal distortion, and fine structure constants were determined for the (02(0)0) and (02(2)0) bending states, the (100) and (001) stretching levels, and the (011) combination level of CCH. The same pure bending and stretching levels, and the (110) combination level were observed in CCD. Apparent anomalies in the spectroscopic constants in the bending states were shown to be due to l-type resonances. Hyperfine constants, which in CCH are sensitive to the degree of admixture of the A 2Pi excited electronic state, were determined in the excited vibrational levels of both isotopic species. Theoretical Fermi contact and dipole-dipole hyperfine constants calculated by Peric et al. [J. Mol. Spectrosc. 150, 70 (1991)] were found to be in excellent agreement with the measured constants. In CCD, new rotational lines tentatively assigned to the (100) level largely on the basis of the observed hyperfine structure support the assignment of the C-H stretching fundamental (nu1) by Stephens et al. [J. Mol. Struct. 190, 41 (1988)]. Rotational lines in the excited vibrational levels of CCH are fairly intense in our discharge source because the vibrational excitation temperatures of the bending vibrational levels and the (110) and (011) combination levels are only about 100 K higher than the gas kinetic temperature, unlike the higher frequency stretching vibrations, where the excitation temperatures are five to ten times higher.     

Effect of Vibrational Angular Momentum on the Lifetime of CS21B2(1Σ)State

Predissociation lifetimes of totally 13 vibrational levels in the 1B2 state of jet-cooled CS2 have been determined by simulating the rotational band contours of the PHOFEX spectrum in the range of 209. 5 ～ 216 nm, where the PHOFEX spectrum was obtained by monitoring the laser-induced fluorescence of CS fragment via the Q band head excitation of（A 1Π,v' = 0）&（X 1Σ + ,v" = 0）transition. In order to investigate the influence of vibrational angular momentum quantum number K of the excited 1B2 （ 1Σ + U ）state,the nozzle was heated to increase the hot-band transition intensities. The results indicate that,for levels with the same vibrational quantum number but different K numbers in the 1B2 （ 1Σ + u ）state of CS2 ,the lifetime decreases with the increasing of quantum number K, suggesting that the dissociation could be accelerated by K number.     

Structure, dipole moment and large amplitude motions of 1-benzofuran

The rotational spectrum of 1-benzofuran has been investigated by three different rotational spectroscopy techniques: (i) millimeterwave absorption free jet spectroscopy, useful for a fast assignment of the spectrum; (ii) molecular beam Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy, sensitive to detect less abundant isotopic species in natural abundance; (iii) waveguide conventional microwave spectroscopy, useful for the study of intramolecular dynamics, through the rotational spectra of the vibrational satellites of low energy modes. Besides the rotational spectrum of the ground state of the normal species, the spectra of 9 singly substituted 13C and 18O isotopomers in natural abundance, and of 6 vibrational satellites, have been measured. Precise structural parameters for the molecule, as well as information on the potential energy surface of the low energy vibrations, have been obtained. The dipole moment components have been determined to be micro(a)= 0.216 (2) and micro(b)= 0.720 (3) D, respectively.     

n-pentanol at high pressures: rotational isomerism in the liquid phase and the liquid-solid phase transition

The vibrational spectrum of liquids constituted of chain molecules is difficult to analyze because it may have contributions of different rotational isomers. In turn, with a proper vibrational assignment, this feature allows us to extract information about the effect of temperature or pressure on the molecular conformations in the liquid state. In this regard, the information on the vibrational spectrum in the solid phase greatly simplifies the vibrational analysis of the different rotational conformers existing in the liquid, as the molecules usually present all-trans conformations in the crystalline state. Here we report room-temperature Raman experiments on n-pentanol performed in a sapphire-anvil cell up to 3 GPa. A detailed analysis of the liquid-solid phase transition occurring at 1.3 GPa is provided. The analysis of the Raman spectrum in the solid phase allows the identification of the bands due to the different rotational isomers present in the liquid. The analysis of the spectral region corresponding to skeletal vibrations of the carbon chain (800-1200 cm(-1)) indicates that gauche conformers are promoted by the application of pressure. The analysis of the intensity ratio of those bands assigned to trans and gauge conformations is used to calculate the change in molecular volume ascribed to the trans-gauge isomerization process. We find a value similar to that found in n-alkanes, i.e., -0.88 cm(3) mol(-1). In addition, we find indication that pressure varies the proportions of the different gauge conformers. Thus, it appears that the GTTt to TGTt transition in the carbon chain is favored at high pressures. As expected, a smaller change in the molecular volume accompanies this conformation change.     

Millimetre wave spectroscopy of PANHs: phenanthridine

The pure rotational spectrum of phenanthridine (C(13)H(9)N), a small polycyclic aromatic nitrogen heterocycle (PANH), has been measured from 48 to 85 GHz employing Stark modulated millimetre wave absorption spectroscopy of a supersonic rotationally cold molecular beam. Initial survey search scans were guided by rotational constants obtained through quantum chemical calculations performed at the B3LYP/cc-pVTZ level of theory. Close agreement--to well within 1%--is found between the calculated equilibrium and experimentally derived ground state rotational constants. From the moments of inertia a substantial negative inertial defect of Delta = -0.4688(44) amu Angstroms(2) is obtained which can be explained by the presence of several energetically low-lying out-of-plane vibrational modes. Corresponding density functional theory calculations of harmonic fundamental frequencies indeed yield four such low frequency modes with values as low as 96 cm(-1). The data presented here will also be useful for deep radio astronomical searches for PANHs employing large radio telescopes.     

Imaging study of vibrational predissociation of the HCl-acetylene dimer: pair-correlated distributions

The state-to-state predissociation dynamics of the HCl-acetylene dimer were studied following excitation in the asymmetric C-H (asym-CH) stretch and the HCl stretch. Velocity map imaging (VMI) and resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) were used to determine pair-correlated product energy distributions. Different vibrational predissociation mechanisms were observed for the two excited vibrational levels. Following excitation in the of the asym-CH stretch fundamental, HCl fragments in upsilon = 0 and j = 4-7 were observed and no HCl in upsilon = 1 was detected. The fragments' center-of-mass (c.m.) translational energy distributions were derived from images of HCl (j = 4-7), and were converted to rotational state distributions of the acetylene co-fragment by assuming that acetylene is generated with one quantum of C-C stretch (nu(2)) excitation. The acetylene pair-correlated rotational state distributions agree with the predictions of the statistical phase space theory, restricted to acetylene fragments in 1nu(2). It is concluded that the predissociation mechanism is dominated by the initial coupling of the asym-CH vibration to a combination of C-C stretch and bending modes in the acetylene moiety. Vibrational energy redistribution (IVR) between acetylene bending and the intermolecular dimer modes leads to predissociation that preserves the C-C stretch excitation in the acetylene product while distributing the rest of the available energy statistically. The predissociation mechanism following excitation in the Q band of the dimer's HCl stretch fundamental was quite different. HCl (upsilon = 0) rotational states up to j = 8 were observed. The rovibrational state distributions in the acetylene co-fragment derived from HCl (j = 6-8) images were non-statistical with one or two quanta in acetylene bending vibrational excitation. From the observation that all the HCl(j) translational energy distributions were similar, it is proposed that there exists a constraint on conversion of linear to angular momentum during predissociation. A dimer dissociation energy of D(0) = 700 +/- 10 cm(-1) was derived.     

Spectroscopic studies of OCS-doped 4He clusters with 9-72 helium atoms: observation of broad oscillations in the rotational moment of inertia

High-resolution spectra of HeN-OCS clusters with N up to 39 in the microwave region and up to 72 in the infrared region were observed with apparatus-limited line widths of about 15 kHz and 0.001 cm(-1), respectively. The cold (approximately 0.2 K) clusters were produced in pulsed supersonic jet expansions of very dilute OCS + He mixtures and probed using a microwave Fourier transform spectrometer or a tunable infrared diode laser spectrometer. Consistent analyses of the microwave and infrared data yield band origins for the carbonyl stretching vibration, together with rotational parameters for the ground and excited vibrational states. The rotational constant, B, passes through a minimum at N = 9 and then rises as the He atoms uncouple from the OCS rotational motion as a result of superfluid effects. There are broad unexpected oscillations in B, with maxima at N = 24 and 47 and minima at N = 36 and 62. The change in B upon vibrational excitation, which is negative for the OCS molecule, converges to positive values for N > 15. These results help to bridge the gap between individual molecules and bulk matter with atom-by-atom resolution over a significant range of cluster sizes.     

High sensitive trap loss spectroscopic detection of the lowest vibrational levels of ultracold molecules

We present a controllable three-dimensional fluorescence modulation technique for the high sensitive trap loss detection of ultracold molecules. The lowest vibrational levels (v = 0 and 1) of the pure long-range state 0(-)(g) (6S(1/2) + 6P(3/2)) of a cesium molecule are detected directly with high rotational resolution. Our technique proved to be a robust tool for effectively improving the detection sensitivity of trap loss spectroscopy.