The SrCl(AX, BX) bands in thermal and non-thermal reactive excitation using metastable Sr atoms

Abstract

The emission of SrCl spectra in the AX, BX bands is studied in chemical reactions of Sr atoms in the metastable 1D and 3P states with HCl, CCl 4, Cl 2, ICl under bimolecular collision conditions. The spectral shape is strongly non-thermal and has peaks at the positions of sequence turnings. In order to interpret the structure also SrCl spectra in thermal equilibrium were excited using the newly developed gas-dynamic jet source. The source with additional discharge along the jet is described, and its utility as a new light source for molecular spectroscopy is outlined. Numerous discrepancies in the current literature concerning the spectroscopy of SrCl are revealed and are mostly removed. Taking into account the influence of vibration onto the formation of rotational heads the structure of the reactive spectra is interpreted. Differences with respect to the spectra in analogous Ca reactions are described. Improvements for the study of reactions of excited atoms are proposed.ft]*|Present address: Universität/Gesamthochschule Wuppertal, Fachbereich Chemische Physik, D-5600 Wuppertal, FRG.