Optically-Enhanced Electron Attachment to Electronically- Excited Molecules and Photofragments

本课题系化学系物理化学项目，教授。田纳西大学物理系的Christophorou和Pinnaduwage将研究电子对电子激发分子的附着。研究内容包括：氢、氧分子高激发态的综合双色电子附着实验；光剥离实验，以确认负氢原子和负氧原子离子的产生；二氧化氮和二氧化硫长寿命、低洼电子激发态的电子附着测量以及通过二氧化碳激光照射产生的电子激发光碎片的电子附着的测量。与以往对处于电子基态的分子进行广泛的电子附着研究相比，由于实验困难，对电子激发分子进行的研究很少。首席研究员最近开发了新技术，使这类调查更容易进行。本工作将通过对简单分子的系统研究来利用这些进展，以便更好地理解低能级和高能级电子激发态分子的基本电子附着过程。

In this project in the Physical Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Profs. Christophorou and Pinnaduwage of the Physics Department of the University of Tennessee will investigate the electron attachment to electronically excited molecules. Included in the studies are: comprehensive 2-color electron attachment experiments on highly-excited states of molecular hydrogen and oxygen; photodetachment experiments to confirm the production of negative hydrogen and oxygen atomic ions; measurement of electron attachment to long-lived, low-lying electronically-excited states of nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide; and measuerment of electron attachment to electronically-excited photofragments produced via laser irradiation of carbon dioxide. In contrast to extensive, previous electron attachment studies on molecules in their electronic ground state, only very few studies have been performed on electronically excited molecules owing to the great experimental difficulties encountered. New techniques have recently been developed by the principal investigator to make such investigations easier to do. The present work will exploit these advances through a systematic study with simple molecules in order to obtain a better understanding of the basic electron attachment process in molecules in low-lying as well those in high-lying electronically excited states.