The Recombination of Iodine Atoms Generated by a C. W. Argon Ion Laser

Abstract

Abstract The rate constants of iodine-atom recombination in various foreign gases were determined by measuring the relative concentrations of iodine atoms in the photostationary state, through irradiation by a c.w. argon-ion laser at 4880 Å. The relative concentration has been obtained from the absorption intensity for the emission line from an iodine discharge lamp at 1830 Å. The rate constants have been given for the diffusion of iodine atoms and for the second-order recombination of iodine atoms. The values of the diffusion rate constants in various foreign gases have been compared with the calculated values. The logarithmic second-order rate constants in various gases were plotted against their ionization potentials. The plot yielded a straight line, indicating that the formation of the charge-transfer complex between iodine atoms and foreign gas molecules is important in the recombination process, as has been suggested by Porter et al.