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Vibrational relaxation of carbon dioxide (101) and carbon monoxide (v = 2) during gas--surface collisions

Journal Article · · J. Chem. Phys.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.448433· OSTI ID:5999344

The probability for deactivation of CO(v = 2) and CO/sub 2/(101) on collision with polycrystalline silver surfaces has been measured. The deactivation probability for CO(v = 2) was found to decrease from 0.33 at 300 K to 0.20 at 440 K, while the deactivation probability for CO/sub 2/ (101) was found to decrease from 0.72 at 300 K to 0.37 at 440 K. Since no population was observed in the CO(v = 1) and CO/sub 2/ (001) intermediate levels, it appears that each deactivation proceeds completely to produce the vibrational ground level. The magnitudes for the deactivation probabilities and the temperature dependencies indicate that a dominant mechanism for relaxation involves trapping and subsequent deactivation by one or more of several mechanisms, including electron--hole pair formation, vibration-to-rotation energy transfer, or perhaps even transfer of energy to the surface phonons. The experiments were performed in a UHV chamber by using a tunable infrared laser source to excite gas-phase molecules vibrationally before their collision with the surface and by measuring the population of vibrationally excited molecules through their time-resolved infrared fluorescence.

Research Organization:
Department of Chemistry, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
OSTI ID:
5999344
Journal Information:
J. Chem. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Chem. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 82:3; ISSN JCPSA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English