Production of a beam of highly vibrationally excited CO using perturbations

Abstract

An intense molecular beam of CO (X-1 Sigma(+)) in high vibrational states (v = 17, 18) was produced by a new approach that we call PUMP - PUMP - PERTURB and DUMP. The basic idea is to access high vibrational states of CO e(3)Sigma(-) via a two-photon doubly resonant transition that is perturbed by the A(1)Pi state. DUMP - ing from this mixed (predominantly triplet) state allows access to high vibrational levels of CO (X-1 Sigma(+)). The success of the approach, which avoids the use of vacuum UV radiation in any of the excitation steps, is proven by laser induced fluorescence and resonance enhanced multi-photon ionization spectroscopy. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4722090]