Line shape evolution in pressure-broadened parallel and perpendicular bands of N2O

High pressure band profile has been investigated for two transitions of N₂O in the 2 μm region. The primary focus of these experiments is on the line shape evolution in moderately dense media. Experimental results suggest that the analysis of the band shape can give a test for the two major assumptions of the collision theory. It is shown that the impact approximation can be tested on a parallel band (40°0-00°0) for pressures up to 15 atm ; while interference effects can be pointed out in a perpendicular band (01′2-00°0) for much lower pressures.