State-selective reaction of excited potassium atom with hydrogen molecule. K*+H2→KH+H

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Abstract
By using a pump‐and‐probe technique, we have observed for the first time the product KH formed by reaction of K*(7S) with H2 in a single collision under bulk conditions. In contrast, no detectable laser‐induced fluorescence (LIF) signal of KH was detected as the K*(7S) was replaced by the K*(5D), a state having 88 cm−1 less energy. These experiments demonstrate for the first time the possibility for an alkali atom to undergo with the H2 molecule a state‐selective reaction. This reaction can be satisfactorily understood in terms of the harpoon mechanism. Measurements of the temperature dependence of the rate constant confirm the proposed mechanism.