Ultraviolet photolysis of HOCl: REMPI measurement of the relative population of chlorine atom (2P) spin–orbit states

Abstract

The nascent chlorine atom (²P) relative spin–orbit state population resulting from UV photolysis of HOCI has been measured by resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) in single laser experiments. The ratio of (0.30 ± 0.07) for Cl*: Cl has been obtained, indicating a stronger preference for production of ground-state Cl(²P_3/2) than expected from statistical weights. Also, the Cl⁺ arrival-time spectra show that most of the energy available in the photolysis is converted into kinetic energy of the photofragments.