Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Measurement of Ultrafast Vibrational Coherences in Polyatomic Radical Cations with Strong-Field Adiabatic Ionization
Published on: August 6, 2018
Vibrational energy transfer in O2(X 3sigma(g)-, upsilon=2,3) + O2 collisions at 330 K
Konstantinos S Kalogerakis1, Richard A Copeland, Tom G Slanger
1Molecular Physics Laboratory, SRI International, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA.
Abstract:
Vibrational relaxation of O2(X 3sigma(g)-, upsilon=2,3) by O2 molecules is studied via a two-laser approach. Laser radiation at 266 nm photodissociates ozone in a mixture of molecular oxygen and ozone. The photolysis step produces vibrationally excited O2(a 1delta(g)) that is rapidly converted to O2(X 3sigma(g)-, upsilon=2,3) in a near-resonant adiabatic electronic energy-transfer process involving collisions with ground-state O2. The output of a tunable 193-nm ArF laser monitors the temporal evolution of the O2(X 3sigma(g)-, upsilon=2,3) population via laser-induced fluorescence detected near 360 nm. The rate coefficients for the vibrational relaxation of O2(X 3sigma(g)-, upsilon=2,3) in collision with O2 are 2.0(-0.4)(+0.6) x 10(-13) cm3 s(-1) and (2.6+/-0.4) x 10(-13) cm3 s(-1), respectively. These rate coefficients agree well with other experimental work but are significantly larger than those produced by various semiclassical theoretical calculations.
Related Concept Videos
UV–Vis Spectroscopy: Molecular Electronic Transitions
Molecular Spectroscopy: Absorption and Emission
IR Spectroscopy: Molecular Vibration Overview
Stretching vibrations are vibrational motions that occur along the bond line, changing the bond length or distance between two bonded atoms. They are further distinguished as symmetric or asymmetric. In symmetric stretching, the...
IR and UV–Vis Spectroscopy of Aldehydes and Ketones
IR Spectroscopy: Hooke's Law Approximation of Molecular Vibration
According to Hooke's law, the vibrational frequency is directly proportional to the...
IR Spectrum Peak Splitting: Symmetric vs Asymmetric Vibrations

