A novel spectroscopy using ultrafast two-pulse excitation of large polyatomic molecules

A first infrared pulse at frequency ν₁ interacts with vibrational states in S₀ and a second visible pulse at ν₂ promotes the excited molecules to the S₁ state from where they fluoresce. Tuning the frequency ν₂ over 600 cm^?1 allows the observation of a detailed spectrum which gives information on vibrational states in S₀ and on vibronic states in S₁ together with corresponding Franck—Condon factors. The spectra differ drastically from the common broad and featureless absorption and fluorescence bands.