title: Production of N3 upon photolysis of solid nitrogen at 3 K with synchrotron radiation.
abstract: The photodissociation of gaseous molecular nitrogen has been investigated intensively, but the corresponding knowledge in a solid phase is lacking. Irradiation of pure solid nitrogen at 3 K with vacuum-ultraviolet light from a synchrotron produced infrared absorption lines of product l-N3 at 1657.8 and 1652.6 cm(-1). The threshold wavelength to generate l-N3 was determined to be (143.7±1.8) nm, corresponding to an energy of (8.63±0.11) eV. Quantum-chemical calculations support the formation of l-N3 from the reaction N2 +N2, possibly through an activated complex l-N4 upon photoexcitation with energy above 8.63 eV. The results provide a possible application to an understanding of the nitrogen cycle in astronomical environments.
authors.affiliation: National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, No. 101, Hsin-Ann Road, Hsinchu Science Park, Hsinchu 30076 (Taiwan).
authors.forename: Sheng-Lung
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Jen-Iu
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Meng-Yeh
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yu-Chain
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Hsiao-Chi
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Bing-Ming
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Cheng
keywords: dissociation energy; nitrogen; photolysis; synchrotron radiation; ultraviolet light