Laser-induced atomic fluorescence fromNa2

Abstract
We have recently shown that irradiation of a molecular system by laser light whose frequency is resonant with the separation of the ground state and an excited electronic state at some particular value of the internuclear separation can produce photodissociation and subsequent fluorescence on an atomic emission line. We use this phenomenon in conjunction with established Rydberg-Klein-Rees (RKR) potential curves to determine the relative electronic transition moment between the Σg+1 (ground) and Πu1 (excited) states as a function of internuclear separation, and find it to be constant. We simultaneously measure the dissociation energy of the Πu1 excited state in Na2. A simple semiclassical analysis, shown to be derivable from a full quantum-mechanical treatment, is used, and its range of validity is determined on the basis of WKB estimates.