Vibrational-level-dependent yields of O 2(b  1Σ g+, v=0) following collisional removal of O 2(A  3Σ u+, v)

• Published in: Chemical physics letters Vol. 282; no. 5; pp. 369 - 374
• Main Authors: Shiau, T.P, Hwang, Eunsook S, Buijsse, B, Copeland, Richard A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 1998
• ISSN: 0009-2614; 1873-4448
• DOI: 10.1016/S0009-2614(97)01287-6

The vibrational level dependence of the branching ratio for the production of O 2(b  1Σ g +, v=0) from the collisional deactivation of O 2(A  3Σ u +) with ground-state O 2 is studied. Using the ultraviolet output from a frequency-doubled tunable dye laser, we excite O 2 molecules to a specific vibrational level (5≤ v≤9) in the A  3Σ u + state and monitor the b  1Σ g +–X  3Σ g − fluorescence near 762 nm. The relative signals following excitation to different vibrational levels are compared to the signals following v=8 excitation. The branching ratio for b  1Σ g + state production following O 2 collisions is approximately constant for v=5–8, and decreases by ∼30% for v=9. This decrease in the production of the b  1Σ g + state is attributed to the opening of a reactive channel to produce O atoms and ozone.