Abstract

Several species (e.g., H and O) that are of interest in combustion studies have dipole-allowed transitions only at wavelengths of <200 nm. Because these wavelengths are strongly absorbed by flame gases, multiphoton excitation using near-UV wavelengths (200-400 nm) provides an important means of detecting such species in combustion environments. The high-intensity optical radiation required for multiphoton excitation has the potential for inducing a variety of photochemical effects in the environment being probed, and we have previously reported such effects in 205-nm excitation of atomic hydrogen¹ and 226-nm excitation of atomic oxygen.² We describe different types of photochemical effect observed during 243-nm excitation of atomic hydrogen.

© 1988 Optical Society of America