Iodine monofluoride emission spectrum and formation kinetics in electron-beam-produced plasmas

• Published in: Applied physics letters 1980-08, Vol.37 (4), p.374-376
• Main Authors: Hutchison, S. B., Eden, J. G., Verdeyen, J. T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0003-6951; 1077-3118
• DOI: 10.1063/1.91948

Intense blue-green fluorescence from a structured band centered at λ∼484 nm has been observed from Ar, CF3I, and NF3 (or F2) gas mixtures (T=300 K) excited by a ∼3-ns FWHM electron beam. This emission is tentatively assigned to the E→A3π1 transition of the iodine monofluoride (IF) molecule. From the temporal behavior of the IF* and I2* (342 nm) emission, it has been determined that the IF (E) level is formed primarily by excitation transfer from I* (4P) states. The fluorescence efficiency of the IF (E→A) band and the IF* (E) state radiative lifetime have been estimated to be ∼6% (in 99.83% Ar/0.13% CF3I/0.04% NF3 mixtures. PTOTAL≈2300 Torr) and ∼15 ns, respectively. The emission band structure, the short IF (E) radiative lifetime, and the Franck-Condon shift between the E and A states suggest that IF* is an attractive candidate for a blue-green laser.