title: A 1 + 1' resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization scheme for rotationally state-selective detection of formaldehyde via the Ã (1)A2 ← X[combining tilde] (1)A1 transition.
abstract: The formaldehyde molecule is an important model system for understanding dynamical processes in small polyatomic molecules. However, prior to this work, there have been no reports of a resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) detection scheme for formaldehyde suitable for rovibrationally state-selective detection in molecular beam scattering experiments. Previously reported tunable REMPI schemes are either non-rotationally resolved, involve multiple resonant steps, or involve many-photon ionization steps. In the current work, we present a new 1 + 1' REMPI scheme for formaldehyde. The first photon is tunable and provides rotational resolution via the vibronically allowed Ã (1)A2 ← X[combining tilde] (1)A1 transition. Molecules are then directly ionized from the Ã state by one photon of 157 nm. The results indicate that the ionization cross section from the 4(1) vibrational level of the Ã state is independent of the rotational level used as intermediate, to within experimental uncertainty. The 1 + 1' REMPI intensities are therefore directly proportional to the Ã ← X[combining tilde] absorption intensities and can be used for quantitative measurement of X[combining tilde]-state population distributions.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Physical Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Tammannstraße 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany. barratt.park@mpibpc.mpg.de and Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Am Faßberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: G Barratt
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Institute for Physical Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Tammannstraße 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany. barratt.park@mpibpc.mpg.de.
authors.forename: Bastian C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Krüger
authors.affiliation: Institute for Physical Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Tammannstraße 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany. barratt.park@mpibpc.mpg.de.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Institute for Physical Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Tammannstraße 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany. barratt.park@mpibpc.mpg.de and Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Am Faßberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Alec M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wodtke
authors.affiliation: Institute for Physical Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Tammannstraße 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany. barratt.park@mpibpc.mpg.de.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schäfer