The dependence of rate coefficients and product yields upon fluence, intensity, and time in unimolecular reactions induced by monochromatic infrared radiation

Abstract

The influence of the three parameters (with two degrees of freedom) fluence, intensity, and time on rate coefficients and product yields in collisionless Unimolecular Reactions Induced by Monochromatic Infrared Radiation (URIMIR) is discussed in some detail in terms of the recently proposed logarithmic reactant fluence plots. Model calculations for several archetypes of such plots are presented, based on solutions of the Pauli master equation and solutions of the quantum mechanical equations of motion for spectra involving many states at each level of excitation. Linear diagrams, turnups, and turnovers are found and are discussed systematically. Experimental examples re‐evaluated from the literature and new measurements on the laser induced decomposition of CF₂HCl are reported which nicely illustrate the various theoretical possibilities. Steady state rate coefficients for six molecules are evaluated and summarized. In some situations the intrinsic nonlinear intensity dependence of the steady state rate coefficients and deviations from simple fluence dependence of the product yields both before and at steady state are shown to be important theoretically and experimentally. The role of the reducibility of the rate coefficient matrix is discussed in connection with turnovers and with the strong influence of initial temperature that is found in the laser induced decomposition of CF₂HCl.