Comment on the nature of the light-induced metastable states in nitroprussides

Abstract

The extremely long lifetimes (τ &> 10 7 s at T = 0 K) of light-induced metastable states (MS) in nitroprussides provide a key to understanding their nature. Both radiative ( k r) and nonradiative ( k nr) relaxation rates must be extremely small. In order for k nr ( T = 0 K) to be smaller than 10 −7 s −1, there has to be a substantial distortion of the MS with respect to the ground state (GS). The small k r ( T = 0 K) < 10 −7 s −1 is the result of the large displacement of GS↔MS potentials on the one hand, and a very small oscillator strength of the GS&.harr;MS transition on the other hand.