Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol.101, No.7, 5708-5716, 1994
Time-Resolved Multiphoton Ionization Study of the 102 nm State of No
We have used subpicosecond deep UV laser pulses (near 205 nm) in a time-resolved (2+1) multiphoton ionization study of the two-photon state of NO at 102 nm via a one-photon resonance with the A (2) Sigma(+) (3s sigma) (v=2) state. The two-photon excited state lifetime exhibits a strong pressure dependence from which the collisionless lifetime and the bimolecular depopulation or quenching rate constant were obtained. The large quenching rate constant strongly suggests that the state is a medium (10-12) n Rydberg level in the series converging to the ground electronic state of NO+. The subnanosecond collisionless lifetime implies that this state is subject to predissociation and/or autoionization.
Keywords:OPTICAL DOUBLE-RESONANCE;HIGH RYDBERG STATES;NITRIC-OXIDE;PHOTOELECTRON-SPECTROSCOPY;EXCITED-STATES;ROTATIONAL AUTOIONIZATION;VACUUM-ULTRAVIOLET;PHOTO-IONIZATION;MOLECULE;DYNAMICS