Laser induced fluorescence detection and characterization of ionic and metastable reaction products

Ionic and metastable products of reactions involving metastable inert gas atoms have been detected and characterized by the laser induced fluorescence (LIF) method. The LIF technique has been used to measure product vibrational distributions which can be compared with predictions based on observations of the chemiluminescence produced in these reactions. Good agreement between the LIF measurements and the chemiluminescence predictions has been obtained for A ³Σ_u⁺ N₂, a ⁴Π O₂⁺, and a ³Π CO. However, in the case of Χ²Σ_g⁺ N₂⁺, a surprisingly high ν=0 population is detected by LIF. This observation may be explained by either extremely efficient vibrational relaxation or a "dark" channel for the production of ν=0, Χ²Σ _g⁺ N₂⁺.