Kinetics of energy deactivation in the O2(1Δ)-I medium

The kinetics of energy-exchange and quenching processes in the O2(1Δ)-I medium plays an important role in the operation of the chemical oxygen-iodine laser. However, up to now, many of the key processes in this medium are not fully understood. In this work, the flow tube technique is used to determine the rate of excitation energy deactivation in the O2(1Δ)-I medium in the presence of small concentrations of water and carbon dioxide. The concentrations of electronically excited species are measured with spectrometers calibrated in absolute spectral responsivity. The effective rate constant for the deactivation of O2(1Δ) molecules in processes involving iodine atoms is determined. The results are compared to those obtained in previous works.