Measurements of F2, NO, and ONF Raman cross sections and depolarization ratios for diagnostics in chemical lasers

We report measurements of the depolarization ratio and the Raman scattering cross sections of F₂, NO, and ONF relative to that of N₂ for laser excitation at 4880 Å. Measurements of the minimum detectable concentration of F₂ indicate that Raman spectroscopy can be a useful tool for diagnostics in a chemical laser. Data are also presented which suggest that the ratio of the rate constants, k₂/k₁, for the ${\mathrm{NO–F}}_2$ reaction $({\mathrm{F}}_2+{\mathrm{NO}}^{{\mathrm{k}}_1}\to \mathrm{ONF}+\mathrm{F\hspace{0.17em}and\hspace{0.17em}F}+{\mathrm{NO}}^{{\mathrm{k}}_2}\to \mathrm{ONF})$ with a N₂ diluent is approximately one. This implies that the fractional dissociation of F₂ molecules into F atoms produced by this reaction can be as high as 18%.