Formation of O(3<i>P</i> <i>j</i>) photofragments from the Hartley band photodissociation of ozone at 226 nm

Abstract

The photodissociation of ozone at 226 nm is studied for O3→O2(X3 Σ−g)+O(2p3Pj) by probing O(3Pj) atomic photofragments with a resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization method. Angular and kinetic energy distributions are determined by measuring time-of-flight spectra as a function of the angle between the polarization vector of the dissociation laser and the detector axis. The Doppler width of O(3Pj) photofragments is also measured. The translational energy distribution is well represented by assuming the formation of vibrationally excited O2 molecules with an average vibrational quantum number of 12. The anisotropy parameter β for the angular distribution is found to be 0.7±0.1. The predissociation dynamics from the photoprepared O3(1B2) state to the repulsive potential surface is discussed.