Energy-partitioning in Elementary Chemical Reactions, Vibrational Relaxation

The gas reactions listed in Table 2 have high rates at room temperature and emission occurs not too far in the infrared. These restrictions are due to limitations of the experimental method which may be overcome in the future. The table could be considerably enlarged by including alkali-metal reactions which have largely been studied by molecular beam methods. 21 Though much discussed, chemical lasers on alkali halides have not yet been realized experimentally. Other results, obtained for instance by flash photolysis/absorption studies, or by the study of combustion, are less detailed and axe not included here. But even in this limited form. Table 2 indicates that nonequilibrium distributions which can lead to molecular amplification are often found and are perhaps the rule rather than the exception in simple chemical reactions. 

System studied Product examined Ev/Etot Relative vibrational populations Nv v =0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Refs. 

Energy-partitioning in Elementary Chemical Reactions, Vibrational Relaxation 

The relation between the energy distribution in a reaction of the type A + BC ------------------------------ AB + C 

Relaxation within each degree of freedom but still nonequilibrium between vibration and rotation/translation 

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Contents Population Inversion and Molecular Amplification. Energy-partitioning in Elementary Chemical Reactions Vibrational Relaxation. Requirements for Laser Oscillation. Design Parameters of Pulsed Chemical Lasers. Specific Chemical Laser Systems. Future Chemical Lasers. Present Perspectives of High-Power Chemical Lasers. Kinetic Information through Chemical Laser Studies. 

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