Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 25, 2025

Proton Transfer and Protein Conformation Dynamics in Photosensitive Proteins by Time-resolved Step-scan Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy
Published on: June 27, 2014
Femtosecond Resolving Photodissociation Dynamics of the SO2 Molecule
Kang Lin1, Xiaoqing Hu2, Shengzhe Pan1
1State Key Laboratory of Precision Spectroscopy, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China.
Abstract:
We experimentally investigate the ultrafast photodissociation dynamics of the SO2 molecule induced by intense ultrashort laser pulses in a pump-probe scheme. Different three-body fragmentation pathways are discriminated using the time-dependent kinetic energy release spectrum with femtosecond time resolution. A nontrivial three-body fragmentation pathway, denoted as the bonding pathway, is unraveled, in which an intermediate fast rotating O2 molecule is formed before complete fragmentation. The ultrafast chemical bond rearrangement after electron release is tracked in real time. The bonding pathway generally exists in the three-body fragmentation processes induced by strong laser fields of different wavelengths, which is observed in infrared, ultraviolet, and mixed two-color cases. Our findings are significant for understanding the photon-induced ultrafast processes of the SO2 molecule in atmospheric chemistry.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Molecular Orbital Theory II
Resonance
UV–Vis Spectroscopy: Molecular Electronic Transitions
Mass Spectrum: Interpretation
Molecular Spectroscopy: Absorption and Emission
Hybridization of Atomic Orbitals II

