The role of partial saturation of the λ3 ladder in SF6 absorption under high power infrared laser excitation

A rate process model is developed to interpret the experimental results of Smith, Schmid, Tablas and Kompa on the time and intensity dependence of the infrared absorption of SF₆. In this model incoherent excitation of the λ₃ molecular mode by the processes of absorption and stimulated emission is followed by radiationless energy transfer from a maximum level to an inactive mode heatbath. This achieves control of the level population by an empirical transfer rate parameter. Good theoretical fits of the experiment absorption decays are obtained with values of approximately 0.1 ns.