State selective population of H2(v″=1, J″=1) and D2(v″=1, J″=2) and rotational relaxation in collisions with H2, D2, and He

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Single rotational states were populated in vibrationally excited hydrogen by stimulated Raman pumping. The population in H2 X 1∑+g(v″=0,1) and D2 X 1∑+g(v″=0,1) was probed state selectively by tunable vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) laser radiation around λ=110 nm, and the fluorescence induced when exciting the hydrogen molecules in the (0–0), (1–0), (2–0), (3–1), and (4–1) Lyman bands of the (B 1∑+u←X 1∑+g) transition monitored. From a comparison of line heights, the stimulated Raman pumping efficiency is estimated to be 30%–50% in the focal volume. Rotational transitions in X 1∑+g(v″=1) were induced in collisions with H2, D2, and He. State‐to‐state rotational relaxation rates were measured for the (J″=1→J″=3) transition in H2(v″=1) and for the (J″=2→J″=0,4) transitions in D2(v″=1). These rates were found to be generally higher than the corresponding previously determined ones in ground state hydrogen, in qualitative accord with recent theoretical calculations. A comparison with available theoretical state‐to‐state cross sections shows that the rates obtained with these cross sections are generally lower than the relaxation rates directly measured in this work.