CS+(B2Σ+ → A 2Πi) fluorescence from penning excitation of CS

The energy transfer reation of He(2³S) + CS was studied spectroscopically in a flowing afterglow apparatus. The CS⁺(B²Σ⁺ → A ²Π_i) transition is identified via three members of the Δν = 0 sequence (406–415 nm). The spin-orbit splitting of the (0, 0) band of CS⁺(A ²Π_i) is 301 ± 5 cm^?1. A weak emitting system (280–340 nm) is tentatively identified as CS⁺(B²Σ⁺→ X²Σ⁺).     

Laser-induced fluorescence in supersonic nozzle beams predissociation in the Rb2 C1πu and D 1πu states

By exciting Rb₂ in a supersonic nozzle beam with a pulsed dye laser in the C ¹Π_u-X ¹Σ⁺_g and the D ¹Π_u-X ¹Σ⁺_g band system, we find evidence tor different predissociation processes The products appear as follows from the C state, Rb^* (5 ²P_{$\text{3}\text{2}$}) exclusively, and from the D state Rb*(4²D_{$\text{3}\text{2}$}) predominantly, followcd by Rb^*(5 ²P_i-5²S) cascade radiation In addition, a lower bound of D_e(Rb₂X¹Σ⁺_g)? 3939± 10 cm^?1 is obtained.     

Excitation of XeF* by reactions of XeF2 with Ar(3P0,2),Kr(3P2) and Xe(3P2)

The reactions of the lowest metastable states of Ar, Kr and Xe with XeF₂ were studied in a flowing afterglow apparatus; XeF emission (from D²Π_{$\text{1}\text{2}$} and B ²Π⁺ states) was observed in all cases. The total rate constants (cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1) for XeF^* formation were determined as 75 × 10^?11 ? Xe(³P₂);64 × 10^?11 ? Kr(³P₂) and 20 × 10^?11 ? Ar(³P_0,2). The reactions of Ar(³P_0,2) and Kr(³P₂) with XeF₂ also gave ArF^* and KrF^*, respectively. Analysis of these emissions indicates that at least two different mechanisms are operative: reactive quenching by the ionic—covalent curve-crossing mechanism and excitation transfer. The Ar(³P_0,2 + XeF₂ reaction is a sufficiently strong source of XeF(D—X) emission that the main features of the XeF(D²Π_{$\text{1}\text{2}$} ? X²Σ⁺) system could be photographed and tentative assignments of these vibrational bands are given. The XeF(D → B) emission could not be observed and the ratio of the D—X versus the D—B transition probability must be > 1000 : 1.     

Studies on the reaction N + N3 → N2(B 3Πg) + N2(X 1Σ+g)

Strongly enhanced N₂ first positive emission N₂(B ³Π_g → A ³Σ⁺_u) has been observed on addition of N atoms into a flowing mixture of Cl and HN₃. The dependence of the emission intensity on N atom concentration gave a rate constant for the reaction N + N₃ → N₂(B ³Π_g) + N₂(X ¹Σ⁺_g) of _i(1.6 ± 1.1) × 10^?11 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. That for the reaction Cl + HN₃ → HCl + N₃ is (8.9 ± 1.0) × 10^?13 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 from the decay of the emission. Comparison of the emission intensity in ClHN₃ with that in ClHN₃N gave the rate constant of the reaction N₃ + N₃ → N₂(B ³Π_g) + 2N₂(X ¹Σ⁺_g) as 1.4 × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 on the assumption that N + N₃ yields only N₂(B ³Π_g) + N₂(X ¹Σ⁺_g).     

Fluorescence and recombination-emission spectra from S2 formed by ultraviolet laser photolysis of CS2 in an argon matrix at 15 k

Two series of emission bands were observed for the CS₂/Ar(1 : 100–500) system at 15 K with excitation at 257.3 nm. They are assigned to B³Σ^?_u → χ³Σ^?_g and B″³Π_u → X³Σ^?_g of S₂, which was formed by photodissociation of CS₂, CS₂ + hv → CS + S, followed by recombination of two S atoms. The B″³Π_u state has been found 524 cm^-1 lower in energy than B³Σ^?_u     

Laser-induced fluorescence in N2 and N+2 by multiple-photon excitation at 266 nm

The fluorescence transitions corresponding to the second positive system of N₂ (C³Π_u → B³Π_g) for Δv = 0, 1 and the first negative system of N⁺₂(B²Σ⁺_u → X²Σ⁺_g) for Δv = 0, 1, 2 have been observed following laser-induced mul excitation of N₂.     

Fluorescence spectra of laser-excited YO molecules in a H2O2Ar flame

CW dye laser induced fluorescence emission and thermal emission spectra of YO-molecules in a 1 atm H₂O₂Ar flame of 2430 K were recorded simultaneously. Narrow band laser excitation was applied to four rotational lines in the (1, 1) Q-branch of the A²Π_{$\text{3}\text{2}$}→X²Σ⁺ transition and broadband excitation was applied to several separate Q-branches of the A²Π_{$\text{1}\text{2}$,$\text{3}\text{2}$}→X²Σ⁺ transitions. From the differences between the fluorescence emission spectra and thermal emission spectra, we conclude that collisional de-excitation of an excited vibronic level takes place by vibrational relaxation, decay to the electronic ground state and by intermultiplet transfer in order of increasing probability.     

The effect of internal excitation on the collision induced dissociation of I+2(2Πg,υ) ions

Cross sections for collision induced dissociation of 0.65 to 3.2 keV I⁺₂(²Π_g, υ) ions in I⁺₂(²Π_g, υ) + N₂(X ¹Σ⁺_g, υ = 0) interactions have been determined. Reaction cross sections for I⁺₂(²Π_{$\text{3}\text{2}$,g}, υ) ions in low vibrational levels vary smoothly from 6 to 10 A² with increasing kinetic energy. Dissociation cross sections for I⁺₂(²Π_{$\text{1}\text{2}$,g}, υ) ions are larger than those involving ground state ions. Processes involving highly excited metastable states of I⁺₂ are not observed in this investigation.     

Vacuum UV emission by electronically-excited N2: The radicative lifetime of the N2(a′1Σ−u state

A measurement of the electronic transition moment variation for the N₂(a'¹Σ^?_uX¹Σ^+g) band system has allowed a reassessment of the radiative lifetime of N₂(a′). Relaxation to N₂(a′,υ=0) is established as the major channel for quenching of N₂(a¹Π_g, υ = 0) molecules by Ar.     

Dynamics of reactions of O(3P) atoms with CS,CS2 and OCS

The reactions of CS(X ¹Σ⁺), CS₂(X ¹Σ⁺_g) and OCS(X ¹Σ⁺) with O(³P) were studied at 298 K by means of a CO laser resonance absorption technique. The CO(ν) population distribution produced from the reaction O(³P) + CS(X ¹Σ⁺) studied in a quartz flash photolysis tube (λ>/ 200 nm) is similar to distributions observed previously for ν> 7. For ν < 7 an energetically colder vibrational population was observed which is attributed to the reaction of O(³P) atoms with undissociated CS₂(X ¹Σ⁺_g). Subsequent experiments carried out in a Pyrex flash photolysis tube (λ>/ 300 nm) in which the O(³P) + CS₂(X ¹Σ⁺_g) reaction is the only one which can occur confirmed that the colder population observed is attributable to this process. The branching ratio for the reaction channel O(³P) + CS₂(X ¹Σ⁺_g) → CO(X ¹Σ⁺) + S₂(³Σ^?_g) has been measured. We find that 1.4 ± 0.2% of the O + CS₂ reaction proceeds through this channel, and that the rate constant for this reaction channel is, k = 3.5 (±0.5) × 10¹⁰ cm³/mole s. Isotope labeled experiments using ¹⁸O atoms show that the O(³P) + OCS(X ¹Σ⁺) reaction takes place by a direct stripping mechanism, wherein CO(ν) is produced exclusively from the parent OCS molecule. The CO(ν) formed in this reaction carries about 9% of the total available energy.     

Evidence for predissociation of Rb*2(C 1Πu) into Rb*(2P12) and Rb(2S12)

A nozzle beam of rubidium is irradiated by the 4765 A line of the argon ion laser, and the resulting fluorescence is spectroscopically analyzed. Under these collision-free conditions, the emission consists of molecular fluorescence from the Rb₂ C ¹Π - X ¹Σ⁺_g electronic system as well as atomic fluorescence from the Rb ²P_{$\text{3}\text{2}$} fine structure component (the Rb D₂ line) only. The latter transition is caused by partial predissociation (? 25%) of the Rb₂ C ¹Π_u state. Within experimental error, the atomic fluorescence is not polarized and its intensity does not change when an electric field of 14.7 kV/cm is applied across the excitation region. The molecular fluorescence is polarized and has the value P = 0.345 ± 0.0009. This is interpreted to be caused by the superposition of P and R as well as Q lines. Although it is not possible to identify which state causes the predissociation of the Rb₂ C ¹Π_u state, arguments are presented that only the Rb D₂ line would appear provided the predissociation is an adiabatic process.     

Branching ratio for the production of I2Psol12) in the photodissociation of I2

The production of atomic iodine in the ground (²Pfrsol|3/2) and electronically excited (²P$\text{1}\text{3}$) states following laser-induced photodissociation of I₂ the region 425–498 nm was monitored directly by resonance spectroscopy. The branching ratio for iodine atom formation. R = [I(²P$\text{1}\text{2}$)]/[I(²P$\text{3}\text{2}$)], is above 0.5 in the region 495–498 nm in agreement with the recent observation of laser action on the atomic transition at 1315 nm following photolysis of I₂ using a dye laser. The present experiments permitted deconvolution of the I₂ continuous absorption spectrum below 498 into contributions from the B³ Π_o,u → X ¹Σ_g⁺ and ¹Π_tu → X¹σ_g^? transitions.     

Multiphoton excitation of CS2 with a narrow-band KrF laser

Multiphoton excitation of CS₂ by means of a frequency-narrowed tunable KrF laser (248 nm) leads to ionisation and photofragment fluorescence from CS(A ¹Π) and CS(d³Δ). Emission spectra can be obtained without any interference from the strong laser-induced flourescence from CS(X¹Σ⁺) observed in previous work with broad-band KrF laser. Excitation and fragmentation mechanisms are discussed within the context of higher Rydberg states of CS₂.     

Electronic-to-vibrational energy transfer reactions: Na(3 2P) + CO (X1Σ+, υ=0)

The vibrational distribution of CO produced from the electronic-to-vibrational energy transfer reaction: Na(3²P) + CO(X¹Σ⁺, υ=0)→Na(3²S) + CO(X¹Σ⁺, υ?8) has been determined by means of infrared resonance absorption measurements employing a cw CO laser. A flash-lamp-pumped dye laser is used to excite the ground state Na to the 3²P_{$\text{1}\text{2}$} and 3²P_{$\text{3}\text{2}$} states. The CO molecules formed in the reaction were found to be vibrationally excited up to the limits of available electronic energies carried by the excited Na atoms, and the vibrational population exhibits a maximum at υ=2. The efficiency of E→V energy transfer was determined to be 35%. Our present results were found to be consistent with the impulsive (half-collision) and curve-crossing models.     

Collision-induced dissociation of dye-laser excited Li2(A 1Σ+u)

Li₂ molecules in a vapour cell were excited into the A ¹Σ⁺_u state using a dye laser set at 6103 Å. In the presence of a foreign gas Li(2 ²P) atoms were detected by means of the Li(3 ²D-2 ²P) transition which was simultaneously excited by the 6103 Å radiation. From the pressure dependence of the normalized Li fluorescence intensity absolute rate constants for collision-induced dissociation Li₂(A) → Li(2 ²P) by the five rare gases were determined. The results are compared with recent work on the analogous process in the Li₂(B ¹Π_u) state and with other systems.     

Rotational analysis of the a3Π0+,1-X1Σ+ emission systems of GeH+

New emission systems have been observed from the helium afterglow reaction of GeH₄ in the 520–610 nm region. On the basis of the rotational analysis, they were assigned to the a ³Π_0⁺-X¹Σ⁺ and a³Π₁-X¹Σ⁺ subsystems of GeH⁺. Spectroscopic constants have been determined for the GeH⁺ (a³Π_0⁺, a³Π₁, X¹Σ⁺) states.     

The energy balance and branching ratios associated with the chemiluminescent reaction Si(3P) + N2O(1Σ) → SiO*(a3Σ+, b3Π, A1Π) + N2(υ″ ⩾ 5) — possible formation of vibrationally excited N2

Silicon atoms react under single collision conditions with N₂O to yield chemiluminescent emission corresponding to the SiO a³Σ⁺?X¹Σ⁺ and b³Π?X¹Σ⁺ intercombination systems and the A¹Π?X¹Σ⁺ band system. A most striking feature of the SiN₂O reaction is the energy balance associated with the formation of SiO product molecules in the A¹Π and b³Π states. A significant energy discrepancy ( = 10000 cm^? = 1.24 eV) is found between the available energy to populate the highest energetically accessible excited-state quantum levels and the highest quantum level from which emission is observed. It is suggested that this discrepancy may result from the formation of vibrationally excited N₂ in a concerted fast SiN₂O reactive encounter. Emission from the SiO a³Σ⁺ (A¹Π) and b³Π(A¹Π, E¹Σ₀⁺) triplet-state manifold results primarily from intensity borrowing involving the indicated singlet states. Perturbation calculations indicate the magnitude of the mixing between the b³Π, A¹Π and E¹Σ₀⁺ states ranges between 0.5 and 2%. On the basis of these calculations, the branching ratio (excited triplet)/(excited singlet) is found to be well in excess of 500. An approximate vibrational population distribution is deduced for those molecules formed in the b³Π state. The present studies are correlated with those of previous workers in order to provide an explanation for diverse relaxation effects as well as observed changes in the ratio of a³Σ⁺ to b³Π emission as a function of pressure and experimental environment. Some of these effects are attributable to a strong coupling between the a³Σ⁺ and b³Π state. Based on the current results, there appears to be little correlation between either (1) the branching ratio for excited state formation or (2) the total absolute cross section for excited-state formation and (3) the measured quantum yield for the SiN₂O reaction. Implications for chemical laser development are considered.     

Vacuum UV emission by electronically excited N2: The collision-induced N2(a 1Πg′ υ = 0) ↔ N2(a′1Σu−, υ = 0) transition

A weak discharge through a flowing Ar/N₂ mixture provides a source of metastable N₂(a′¹Σ_u^?) molecules in the absence of N atoms. Vacuum UV emission is observed from this state and from N₂(a ¹Π_g), which is populated by collisional excitation of a′¹Σ_u^? state molecules.     

SO+(A2Π-X2Πr) emission produced from a dissociative charge-transfer reaction of He+ with SO2 at thermal energy

The extensive bands observed from the helium afterglow reaction of SO₂ in the 250–540 nm region are assigned to the new SO⁺(A²Π-X²Π_r) system produced from the He⁺/SO₂ dissociative charge-transfer reaction at thermal energy. They had been erroneously interpreted as the SO⁺₂ (C?-X?) system produced from He(2³S)/SO₂ Penning ionization. The spectroscopic constants for the SO⁺A²Π) and SO⁺(X²Π_r) states were determined.     

Sensitization of the CN(B2Σ+ → X2Σ+) emission by Hg(63P0) metastables

The vibrational analysis of the CN(B²Σ⁺ → X²Σ⁺) emission sensitized by Hg(6³P₀) metastables has shown that the energy transfer process, Hg(6³P₀) + CN(X²Σ⁺) → Hg(6¹S₀) + CN(B²Σ⁺), populates the CN(B²Σ⁺) state in a non-Franck-Condon fashion. The relative vibrational populations for the ν = 0 to 4 states are 1.00, 0.56 ± 0.06, 0.26 ± 0.03, 0.11 ± 0.03 and 0.04 ± 0.01, respectively. Long-range attractive interaction between the Hg(6³P₀) atom and the CN(X²Σ⁺) radical is evidenced by the observed high rotational excitation of the CN(B²Σ⁺) radical following the energy transfer process.