Detection of O([sup 1]D) produced in the photodissociation of O[sub 2]. I. Identification of the [sup 3]Σ[sub u][sup -] and [sup 3]Π[sub u] Rydberg states in 113-130 nm.

The metastable O([sup 1]D) atom produced in the photodissociation of O[sub 2] in the wavelength region 113-130 nm was detected by measuring the 762 nm fluorescence of the transition O[sub 2](b [sup 1]Σ[sub g][sup +]→X [sup 3]Σ[sub g][sup -]). The excited states of O[sub 2] were classified as either the [sup 3]Σ[sub u][sup -] state that produces O([sup 1]D)+O([sup 3]P), or the [sup 3]Π[sub u] state that produces O([sup 3]P)+O([sup 3]P). Our quantum yield measurements of O([sup 1]D) found bands of both pure and overlapped [sup 3]Σ[sub u][sup -] and [sup 3]Π[sub u] states. Five bands were found to produce O([sup 1]D), including the longest, second, and third bands and two additional bands near 115.3 and 113.8 nm that were assigned as the E [sup 3]Σ[sub u][sup -](v[sup ′]=3-4) states. Three bands were assigned to the F [sup 3]Π[sub u](v[sup ′]=0-2) state. We also found a state at 116.2 nm, which did not produce O([sup 1]D), but produced weak visible fluorescence. The possibility of attributing the fluorescence to a transition D [sup 3]Σ[sub u][sup +]-C [sup 3]Π[sub g] was discussed. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]