Double resonance and collision-induced transitions in the radiofrequency spectra of H2CO and HDCO observed inside the cavity of a CO2 laser

Many radiofrequency resonances corresponding to transitions between the two components of a K-type doublet in H₂CO and HDCO have been observed using infrared-radiofrequency double resonance inside a CO₂ laser cavity. For strong resonances, additional transitions induced by collisions have also been observed and these provide information on collisional processes. The collision-induced transitions also provide a method for assigning the K doublet frequencies in the ground and v₄ = 1 states of H₂CO, and in the ground, v₅ = 1, and v₆ = 1 states of HDCO; the rovibrational transitions pumped by the CO₂ laser can therefore be determined. The upper state rotational transitions and the infrared frequencies for the transitions in exact coincidence with the CO₂ laser lines provide accurate additional data in the analysis of the conventional infrared spectrum of the ν₅ and ν₆ bands of HDCO. In addition, the 195-μm far-infrared laser line in HDCO, observed by Dangoisse et al. J. Quantum Electron. QE-13, 730–731 (1977)] has been assigned as the 24_6,19→23_6,18 transition in the v₆ = 1 state.