New details in the polarized spectrum of naphthalene by means of linear dichroism studies in oriented polymer matrices

Linear dichroism (LD) spectra are presented for naphthalene oriented in stretched polyethylene and polypropylene matrices at 77 K and 296 K. From the calculated spectrum LD(λ)/A(λ), where A(λ) is the corrected absorbance spectrum of the sample by unpolarized light, orientational parameters are calculated and component spectra, 235–315 nm, are resolved corresponding to polarization parallel to the long (B_3u = x) and the short (B_2u = y) axes in the molecular plane (D_2h). The orientational parameters indicate different orientational mechanisms in polyethylene and polypropylene, but the resolving procedure yields mainly identical component spectra. It is suggested that the polarization (B_3u) predominating in the 245–275 nm region isdue to a B_1g vibronic perturbation of the ¹B_2u state.