Journal of Physical Chemistry A, Vol.107, No.7, 968-973, 2003
Enhancement of the stimulated Raman scattering of benzene-toluene mixtures under strong excitation condition in the liquid phase
Anomalous enhancement of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) of the aromatic CH stretching band was observed when the laser-induced plasma was generated in benzene-toluene mixed solvents. Time-resolved spectra of the SRS revealed that the strong excitation condition which led to generation of ionized molecules played an important role in anomalous enhancement. The observed intensity dependence on the mixture ratio meant that the complex formation between benzene and ionized toluene molecules contributed to its enhancement. Results of the theoretical calculation indicated that the Raman cross section of benzene and toluene molecules was remarkably enhanced due to the charge distribution between benzene and toluene cations compared to the Raman cross section in each neutral monomer state. The mechanism of the anomalous enhancement was considered in terms of the formation of cationic benzene-toluene complexes under the strong excitation condition and subsequent change of the Raman cross section due to the charge-resonant interaction in the cationic complexes.