Intracavity system design for IR multiphoton dissociation

An intracavity system for the infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) of molecules with high dissociation energy threshold has been designed and implemented. The system design based on a TEA CO₂ laser with a cavity folded in V-shape included the analysis of its stability varying the cavity dimensions as well as the analysis of the positions of the beam waists and of the beam size at them. The intracavity energy as a function of the total sample pressure has been measured and the laser-operation threshold has been determined. Intracavity IRMPD has been compared to traditional IRMPD performed in an irradiation geometry in which the radiation is focused into a photoreactor placed outside the laser cavity. Dissociation volumes in intracavity irradiation have resulted an order of magnitude larger than those obtained in experiments performed with the photoreactor outside the laser cavity.