LIVERSIDGE LECTURE - THE DYNAMICS OF PHOTODISSOCIATION

The use of lasers, both to inititiate photochemical decomposition and to probe the primary products, has greatly advanced our knowledge of the dynamics of photodissociation. This article uses case histories for excitation of H2O, H2O2, HONO, HCO, NH3, HNO, and CH4 to illustrate the diversity of mechanisms. These cover dissociation through motion on a single potential energy surface; dissociation mediated by surface crossings; and dissociation following internal conversion to the molecular ground state. Implications for larger molecules and future work are also discussed.