CO2 Laser-Induced Dissociation of SiF4 Molecules into Electronically Excited Fragments

Abstract

Observation of the visible fluorescence of the SiF radical in SiF4 gas irradiated by the pulsed output of a CO2 laser leads to the conclusion that the molecules are dissociated into electronically excited fragments by the action of the intense laser field. A clear distinction is observed between the fluorescence produced through this process and that associated with thermalization of the incident energy.