Photofragmentation of SnCl 2 at 193 nm

Abstract

Using photofragment spectroscopy the time of flight spectra and angular distributions for SnCl fragments, Sn and Cl atoms from the fragmentation of SnCl 2 have been measured at 193 nm. From the time, of flight it was found that dissociation takes place into SnCl (X 2Π) and Cl( 2P) and that the SnCl fragment is highly vibrationally excited. To account for this effect we propose a mechanism, in which the upper potential surface has a saddle point at a greater Sn-Cl 2 distance than the ground state. The angular distribution exhibits an anisotropy parameter β = 0.21. A model was developed, based on a charge transfer from the p nonbonding orbitals on the Cl atoms to the p x orbital on the Sn atom. The model predicts that A 1 → B 2 transitions dominate over A 1 → B 1 transitions and that A 1 → B 1 transitions are negligible in good agreement with the experimental observations.