Photodissociation channels for N{sub 2}O near 130 nm studied by product imaging

• Published in: The Journal of chemical physics 2005-05, Vol.122 (17)
• Main Authors: Lambert, H.M., Davis, E.W., Tokel, O., Dixit, A.A., Houston, P.L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION; ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS; BRANCHING RATIO; BY-PRODUCTS; DISSOCIATION; ENERGY TRANSFER; EXCITATION; EXCITED STATES; L-S COUPLING; NITROUS OXIDE; PHOTOLYSIS; PHOTON-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
• ISSN: 0021-9606; 1089-7690
• DOI: 10.1063/1.1888579

The photodissociation of N{sub 2}O at wavelengths near 130 nm has been investigated by velocity-mapped product imaging. In all, five dissociation channels have been detected, leading to the following products: O({sup 1}S)+N{sub 2}(X {sup 1}{sigma}), N({sup 2}D)+NO(X {sup 2}{pi}), N({sup 2}P)+NO(X {sup 2}{pi}), O({sup 3}P)+N{sub 2}(A {sup 3}{sigma}{sup +}{sub u}), and O({sup 3}P)+N{sub 2}(B {sup 3}{pi}{sub g}). The most significant channel is to the products O({sup 1}S)+N{sub 2}(X{sup 1}{sigma}), with strong vibrational excitation in the N{sub 2}. The O({sup 3}P)+N{sub 2}(A,B):N({sup 2}D,{sup 2}P)+NO branching ratio is measured to be 1.4{+-}0.5, while the N{sub 2}(A)+O({sup 3}P{sub J}):N{sub 2}(B)+O({sup 3}P{sub J}) branching ratio is determined to be 0.84{+-}0.09. The spin-orbit distributions for the O({sup 3}P{sub J}), N({sup 2}P{sub J}), and N({sup 2}D{sub J}) products were also determined. The angular distributions of the products are in qualitative agreement with excitation to the N{sub 2}O(D-tilde{sup 1}{sigma}{sup +}) state, with participation as well by the {sup 3}{pi}{sub v} state.