Electronically excited iodine atoms I(52P½). Part 3

Abstract

Kinetic spectroscopic measurements in the vacuum ultra-violet on the decay of electronically excited iodine atoms (I(5²P_½)) generated from the flash photolysis of gaseous CF₃I have been carried out in the presence of the gases Xe, NO, O₂, H₂O, D₂O, CH₄, CF₃H, CF₄, SF₆, CO and CO₂. The decay in xenon of I(5²P_½) to the ground state (5²P_⅓) is primarily controlled by diffusion to the walls of the vessel. The probability of spin orbit relaxation on collision for the gases NO to CO₂ listed in the above order are 6.7 × 10^–2, 5.6 × 10^–2, 5.9 × 10^–3, 4.0 × 10^–4, 2.4 × 10^–4, 2.3 × 10^–4, 2.5 × 10^–5, 1.8 × 10^–5, 6.7 × 10^–6 and 7.7 × 10^–7, respectively. The probability of collisional deactivation by the paramagnetic species NO and O₂ is particularly high and comparable with that of I₂(7.1 × 10^–2). The deactivation of I(5²P_½) by the gases studied to date are discussed.