Abstract

Laser spectroscopy and kinetic mass spectrometry of polyatomic isolated molecules have been carried out by using stepwise laser ionization of molecules in a mass spectrometer. The optical absorption spectrum of NO₂ has been recorded, for example, by using pulsed dye-laser excitation and H₂ vacuum-ultraviolet laser ionization of molecules. The kinetics of excited electron states and of the production of molecular and fragmented ions of some polyatomic molecules have been investigated with high temporal resolution. The sensitivity achieved is 10⁻¹⁰ cm⁻¹ of the absorption coefficient and 10⁹ (10⁵) molecules in the ground (electronically excited) state in the irradiated volume.

© 1978 Optical Society of America

Associative ionization of laser-excited Rydberg states in strontium vapor

E. F. Worden, J. A. Paisner, and J. G. Conway
Opt. Lett. 3(4) 156-158 (1978)

Probing argon–benzene van der Waals molecules and isotopically substituted benzene with laser-ionization mass spectrometry

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J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 2(9) 1589-1593 (1985)

Single-atom detection of ytterbium by selective laser excitation and field ionization from Rydberg states

G. I. Bekov, V. S. Letokhov, O. I. Matveev, and V. I. Mishin
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Laser isotope separation of rare earth elements

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Multiphoton absorption of OsO₄ under two-CO₂-laser pulse excitation

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Opt. Lett. 3(3) 103-105 (1978)