Infrared‐laser‐induced unimolecular reactions

MAY 01, 1978

The absorption of 30 or more infrared photons can raise a molecule into a highly excited vibrational state, leading to some intriguing problems in physical chemistry, quantum electronics and statistical mechanics.

DOI: 10.1063/1.2995035

Nicolaas Bloembergen

Eli Yablonovitch

Photochemistry, which deals with the way in which chemical reactions are induced or altered by the presence of photons, has been a very active branch of science for many years. Although visible and ultraviolet photons, by giving rise to excited electronic states, have the most pronounced effects, much attention in recent years has gone to infrared photochemistry. Molecules irradiated with a powerful electromagnetic wave in the infrared remain in the electronic ground state (in the Born–Oppenheimer sense), but their vibrational modes may become highly excited. As a result, infrared‐laser radiation often profoundly affects chemical reaction rates.

This article is only available in PDF format

References

1. R. V. Ambartsumian, V. S. Letokhov, in Chemical and Biochemical Applications of Lasers, volume 3 (C. B. Moore, ed.), Academic, New York (1977), chapter 2;
Comm. At. Mol. Phys. 6, 13 (1976); https://doi.org/CAMPBS
V. S. Letokhov, PHYSICS TODAY, May 1977, page 23.
2. C. D. Cantrell, S. M. Freund, J. L. Lyman, in Laser Handbook (M. Stitch, ed.), North‐Holland, New York (1978), volume 3.
3. R. V. Ambartsumian, V. S. Letokhov, E. A. Ryabov, N. V. Chekalin, JETP Lett. 20, 273 (1974); https://doi.org/JTPLA2
J. L. Lyman, R. V. Jensen, J. Rink, C. P. Robinson, S. D. Rockwood, Appl. Phys. Lett. 27, 87 (1975).https://doi.org/APPLAB
4. D. O. Ham, M. Rothschild, Opt. Lett. 1, 28 (1977).https://doi.org/OPLEDP
5. T. F. Deutsch, Opt. Lett. 1, 25 (1977).https://doi.org/OPLEDP
6. M. J. Coggiola, P. A. Schulz, Y. T. Lee, Y. R. Shen, Phys. Rev. Lett. 38, 17 (1977); https://doi.org/PRLTAO
E. R. Grant, M. J. Coggiola, Y. T. Lee, P. A. Schulz, Y. R. Shen, Chem. Phys. Lett. 52, 595 (1977).https://doi.org/CHPLBC
7. P. Kolodner, C. Winterfeld, E. Yablonovitch, Opt. Commun. 20, 119 (1977).https://doi.org/OPCOB8
8. D. S. King, J. C. Stephenson, Chem. Phys. Lett. 51, 48 (1977).https://doi.org/CHPLBC
9. N. R. Isenor, R. V. Merchant, R. S. Hallsworth, M. C. Richardson, Can. J. Phys. 51, 1281 (1973).https://doi.org/CJPHAD
10. J. M. Preses, R. E. WestonJr, G. W. Flynn, Chem. Phys. Lett. 48, 425 (1977); https://doi.org/CHPLBC
C. R. QuickJr, C. Wittig, Chem. Phys. Lett. 48, 420 (1977).https://doi.org/CHPLBC
11. K. L. Kompa, in Tunable Lasers and Applications (A. Mooradian, T. Jaeger, P. Stokseth, eds.), Springer, New York (1976).
12. S. W. Benson, A. J. Colussi, R. J. Hwang, J. J. Tiee, Chem. Phys. Lett. 52, 349 (1977).https://doi.org/CHPLBC
13. C. D. Cantrell, H. W. Galbraith, Opt. Commun. 18, 513 (1976).https://doi.org/OPCOB8
14. N. Bloembergen, C. D. Cantrell, D. M. Larsen, in Tunable Lasers and Applications (A. Mooradian, T. Jaeger, P. Stokseth, eds.), Springer, New York (1976).
15. E. R. Grant, P. A. Schulz, Aa. S. Sudbo, Y. T. Lee, Phys. Rev. Lett. 40, 115 (1978).https://doi.org/PRLTAO
16. J. G. Black, E. Yablonovitch, N. Bloembergen, S. Mukamel, Phys. Rev. Lett. 38, 1131 (1977).https://doi.org/PRLTAO
17. P. J. Robinson, K. A. Holbrook, Uni‐Molecular Reactions, Wiley, New York (1972).
18. A. V. Nowak, J. L. Lyman, J. Quant. Spec. Rad. Trans. 15, 1945 (1975).https://doi.org/JQSRAE
19. R. V. Ambartsumian, G. N. Makarov, A. A. Puretsky, in Laser Spectroscopy III (J. L. Hall, J. L. Carlsten, eds.), Springer, New York (1977), page 76.
20. E. W. Montroll, K. E. Shuler, J. Chem. Phys. 26, 454 (1957).https://doi.org/JCPSA6
21. D. W. Noid, M. L. Koszykowski, R. A. Marcus, J. D. Macdonald, Chem. Phys. Lett. 51, 540 (1977).https://doi.org/CHPLBC
22. J. D. Rynbrandt, B. S. Rabinovitch, J. Phys. Chem. 75, 2164 (1971).https://doi.org/JPCHAX
23. D. S. Frankel, J. T. Manuccia, Chem. Phys. Lett., to be published.
24. J. P. Maier, A. Seilmeier, A. Laubereau, W. Kaiser, Chem. Phys. Lett. 46, 527 (1977).https://doi.org/CHPLBC
25. R. G. Bray, M. J. Berry, in Proceedings of the Conference on the Chemical Application of Lasers, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (1977).
26. R. L. Swofford, M. S. Burberry, J. A. Morrell, A. C. Albrecht, J. Chem. Phys. 66, 5245 (1977).https://doi.org/JCPSA6
27. E. Yablonovitch, Optics Lett. 1, 87 (1977).https://doi.org/OPLEDP
28. E. Yablonovitch, J. Goldhar, Appl. Phys. Lett. 25, 580 (1974); https://doi.org/APPLAB
H. S. Kwok, E. Yablonovitch, Appl. Phys. Lett. 30, 158 (1977).https://doi.org/APPLAB
29. J. H. Clark, R. G. Anderson, Appl. Phys. Lett. 32, 46 (1978).https://doi.org/APPLAB

More about the Authors

Nicolaas Bloembergen. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Eli Yablonovitch. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.