Electronic-to-vibrational energy transfer reactions.X^* + CO (X = O, I and Br)

The vibrational distribution of CO produced from the following two electronic-to-vibrational energy transfer reactions: {A figure is presented} have been determined by means of infrared resonance absorption measurements employing a cw CO laser. The CO molecules formed in both reactions were found to be vibrationally excited up to the limits of available electronic energies carried by the excited atoms. A similar result was also observed in the Br(4²P _{1 2}) + CO reaction, in which absorption occurred only in the 1 → 2 band. For the O^* + CO reaction the efficiency of E → V energy transfer was determined to be 16%. Our present results were found to be inconsistent with the impulsive (half-collision) model.