OODR-LIF direct measurement of N2(C 3Πu, v=0-4) electronic quenching and vibrational relaxation rate coefficients by N2 collision

We report measurements of electronic quenching and vibrational relaxation rate constants by collision with N-2 of the whole N-2(C-3 Pi u, v = 0-4) vibrational manifold. These results are obtained by selective excitation of single vibrational levels by Optical-Optical Double Resonance laser pumping from the triplet metastable N-2(A(3)Sigma(+)(u)), and observation of the fluorescence (LIF) emitted by both directly pumped and collision populated vibrational levels. A pulsed dielectric barrier discharge is used as N-2(A(3)Sigma(+)(u)) source. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.