Direct measurement of rotational and vibrational relaxation in methane overtone levels by time-resolved infrared double-resonance spectroscopy

Abstract

A time-resolved infrared double-resonance technique has been used to measure vibrationally and rotationally inelastic collision rates in ground and vibrational overtone levels of methane. A Raman-shifted Ti:sapphire laser is used to pump J=0 through 7 states in the 2ν3 and ν3+ν4 levels of 12CH4, and a tunable diode laser is used to probe the time-dependent level populations. Vibrational equilibration is observed among the octad, pentad, and dyad levels, with subsequent relaxation to the ground state. State-to-state rotational energy transfer rates are obtained in the ground and ν3+ν4 excited vibrational levels, and compared with theoretical predictions and with pressure-broadening measurements on the corresponding transitions. The probability of molecular reorientation in an inelastic collision is also inferred from the polarization dependence of the relaxation times. Parity-conserving and vibrational angular momentum propensity rules are inferred for the lower rotational levels of methane.