Photoassociation of Heavy Metal Excimers: Spectroscopic, Kinetic, and Laser Applications

Abstract

The measurement of unambiguous kinetic and spectroscopic data for high lying states in excimer molecules can be particularly difficult because of the requirement for obtaining a sizable, selective population in the electronic (or vibronic) state of interest. Such data are important in order to obtain an understanding of the molecular structure and chemical binding in excimer molecules. In addition, the kinetic details of these upper levels are necessary information for the prediction of excited-state absorption and the yields of particular formation channels in excimer lasers. Typically the excitation of these high lying states is accomplished via collisional processes such as ionic recombination, processes which are not selective as to the product excimer state. In addition quenching of the states, which can occur via a binary-collision induced curve crossing, is generally extremely rapid. As a result the instantaneous population per excited state level is low, and unambiguous measurement of the decay rate of a specific vibronic substate, or, in fact, even of a particular electronic state is extremely difficult.

Supported by the Department of Energy and the Department of the Air Force.