Hamburg 2009 – scientific programme

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SYHR: High resolution spectroscopy – modern trends and new techniques

SYHR 3: High resolution spectroscopy - modern trends and new techniques III

SYHR 3.2: Invited Talk

Thursday, March 5, 2009, 17:10–17:50, VMP 8 R05

High resolution spectroscopy using supersonic planar plasma expansions — •Harold Linnartz — Laboratory for Astrophysics, Leiden Observatory, University of Leiden, Leiden, the Netherlands

Transient molecules - typically radicals, ions and ionic complexes - belong to the chemically most reactive species. They are considered to be important intermediates in processes ranging from combustion to interstellar chemistry. The high reactivity, however, also complicates systematic spectroscopic gas phase studies.

In this talk the use of planar plasma sources [1] is reviewed, capable of producing molecular transients with high densities at low rotational temperatures in a Doppler free environment. Fully rotationally resolved spectra of rovibronic and rovibrational transitions are presented for exotic and highly unstable molecules. It is demonstrated how sensitive detection techniques, such as cavity ring down spectroscopy and plasma modulation techniques, can be used to record fully resolved spectra in direct absorption.

[1] H. Linnartz, 'Cavity ring down spectroscopy of molecular transients of astrophysical interest' in Cavity Ring-down Spectroscopy: Techniques and Applications, Eds. G. Berden and R. Engeln, Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (2009).