Vibrational excitation and relaxation of the CO(<i>v</i>=1) and CO(<i>v</i>=2) states

Abstract

Pulses from a CO2 laser have been frequency doubled in a tellurium crystal and used to optically pump the first vibrational level in room-temperature CO. By monitoring infrared fluorescence from the v=1 and v=2 states, the rate constant for the process CO(v=1) + CO(v=1) → CO(v=0) + CO(v=2) has been determined. Other rate constants involving the CO(v=1) level are also reported.