title: Time-dependent depolarization of aligned D(2) caused by hyperfine coupling.
abstract: Molecular deuterium is prepared in the J = 2, M = 0 sublevel of ν = 1 by stimulated Raman pumping of the ν = 0 S(0) line. Following optical excitation, the degree of alignment of the rotational angular momentum J oscillates in time caused by the coupling of J to the total nuclear spin angular momentum I(T). This coupling is of two kinds, the interaction of J with the magnetic moments and the quadrupole fields of the two I = 1 deuterium nuclei. The alignment is monitored via the O(2) line of the E,F(1)Σ(g)(+)-X(1)Σ(g)(+) (0,1) band using [2+1] resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization for pump-probe delays from 0 to 20 μs. Using the hyperfine coupling constants found previously for the ν = 0 state (R. F. Code and N. F. Ramsey, Phys. Rev. A, 1971, 4, 1945), we are able to fit the time dependence essentially within our experimental error, but this requires that the presence of both I(T) = 0 and I(T) = 2 nuclear spin states for this o-deuterium level is properly weighted and taken into account.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5080, USA.
authors.forename: Nate C-M
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Bartlett
authors.forename: Justinas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jankunas
authors.forename: Richard N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Zare
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Harrison