STIMULATED EMISSION PUMPING (SEP) OF $1_{2} BO_{u}{^{+}} - X^{1}\Sigma_{g}^{+}$ WITH PULSED DYE LASERS

Author Institution:This preliminary work demonstrates the feasibility of populating specific, highly-excited, rotation-vibration levels of the electronic ground state of small molecules. A Nd: YAG pumped dye laser (PUMP) is tuned to e.g., the $I_{2}$ B-X (17, 0) P(38) line while a second, pressure-scanned dye laser (DUMP) stimulates emission to selected X state rovibronic levels, such as $v^{\prime\prime} = 10, J^{\prime\prime} = 36$ or 38. The SEP transition is observed by monitoring a resultant fluorescence decrease from the B state. A dual-beam dual-photomultiplier detection system gives a null signal when the DUMP laser is off resonance, hence noise due to pulse to pulse fluctuations is greatly reduced. SEP signals corresponding to about 10% decrease in fluorescence intensity are observed