Laser fluorescence study of the equilibration of excited vibrational states of SF6 during SF6-rare gas collisions

Abstract

Laser‐induced infrared fluorescence was used to measure the vibration to vibration energy transfer process in SF₆ during collisions with rare gas partners. The probability of transfer for these collision partners was found to be ¼ to ½ that of pure SF₆. Results are compared to Schwartz, Slawsky, Herzfeld‐type calculations and the effects of a long range dipole‐induced dipole mechanism are considered. The probability of energy transfer for the lighter rare gas collision partners almost certainly contains contributions from several energy transfer paths making comparison between theory and experiment difficult.