ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR FLUORESCENCE FROM LASER EXCITED DIATOMIC CESIUM AND RUBIDIUM

It has been found that several argon laser lines and the 6328 Å helium-neon laser line cause excitation of diatomic rubidium and cesium in the vapor phase to excited electronic states. The excitation of only a few, well separated rotation levels in the upper state, and the resulting simple line fluorescence spectra will allow determination of molecular constants not available by other methods. Atomic fluorescence was also present. Twenty-seven atomic cesium lines were observed between 3611 and 8946 Å under illumination at 4880 Å. The intensities of several atomic lines were found to have a quadratic dependence upon laser intensity, and are therefore attributed to excitation processes involving two photons. © 1969.