Total Inversion on the Bi(62D-64S) Transition at 8758 A by Near-Resonant Collision Transfer with NF(a1 Delta).

Abstract : Total population inversion betwen the two lowest electronic states of atomic bismuth, (6 superscript 2D) and (6 superscript 4S), has been demonstrated in a subsonic flow system. The atomic inversion is generated via collisions of the ground state Bi (6 superscript 4S) with electronically excited NF(a superscript 1 delta)) in the extremely fast resonant transfer process. This result proves unequivocally that the NF(a superscript 1 delta), produced by the reaction H + NF2 yields HF(v) + NF(a superscript 1 delta) is also totally inverted. Keywords: Atomic and molecular physics; Chemical kinetics; Chemical lasers; Chemically reactive flows; Energy distribution and transfer; Flow tubes; NF chemical kinetics; NF molecules; Physical chemistry; Rate constants.