Photodissociation dynamics of cadmium and zinc dimethyl

Abstract

M(CH3)2 (M=Zn,Cd) vapor was photodissociated at 193 nm into CH3 and MCH3 (Ã 2 E) radicals and also into CH3 radicals and M atoms. The kinetic energy distribution of the CH3 was measured by a molecular beamtime of flight technique. The emission spectrum of the MCH3(Ã 2 E) was recorded in the visible region (for the first time) and it was shown that the radicals were vibrationally cold. An excitation spectrum for visible emission was determined through the VUV region down to 125 nm. Two photon production of M(n 3 P 0 1 ) states was easily observable but shown to be negligible compared to one photon processes. The methyl radicals released in this dissociation are slower but vibrationally hotter than those dissociated from CH3I.