The photodissociation and reaction dynamics of vibrationally excited molecules. Technical progress report, 1993--1994

Abstract

Combined vibrational overtone excitation and laser induced fluorescence detection was used to study dissociation dynamics of hydroxylamine (NH{sub 2}OH), laser induced grating experiments on water were analyzed, discovering the important role that electrostriction and thermal relaxation play, and a new apparatus for preparing vibrationally excited molecules with simulated Raman excitation was completed and the first measurements made. Role of vibrational excitation in photodissociation dynamics was studied using a vibrational state preparation technique, such as vibrational overtone excitation or stimulated Raman excitation, to create molecules with particular nuclear motions and then excite that molecule to a dissociative electronic state. Because the vibrational excitation alters the dissociation dynamics in the excited state, both by providing access to different portions of the excited state surface and by altering the motion of the system on the surface, it is usually refered to as vibrationally mediated photodissociation.