A state-selected continuous wave laser excitation method for determining CO2’s rotational state distribution in a supersonic molecular beam

State-resolved experiments can provide fundamental insight into the mechanisms behind chemical reactions. Here, we describe our methods for characterizing state-resolved experiments probing the outcome of the collision between CO2 molecules and surfaces. We create a molecular beam from a supersonic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Review of scientific instruments 2024-05, Vol.95 (5)
Main Authors: Jansen, Charlotte, Juurlink, Ludo B. F., van Lent, Richard, Chadwick, Helen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carbon dioxide
Chemical reactions
Continuous wave lasers
Excitation
High vacuum
Infrared lasers
Molecular beams
Monte Carlo simulation
Rotational states
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Summary:State-resolved experiments can provide fundamental insight into the mechanisms behind chemical reactions. Here, we describe our methods for characterizing state-resolved experiments probing the outcome of the collision between CO2 molecules and surfaces. We create a molecular beam from a supersonic expansion that passes through an ultra-high vacuum system. The CO2 is vibrationally excited by a continuous wave infrared (IR) laser using rapid adiabatic passage. We attenuate the fractional excitation using a CO2 absorption cell in the IR beam path. We combine Monte Carlo simulations and molecular beam energy measurements to find the initial rotational state distribution of the molecular beam. We find that our pure CO2 beam from a 300 K source has a rotational temperature of ∼26 K.
ISSN:0034-6748
1089-7623
DOI:10.1063/5.0203641