QUANTUM STATE-SELECTED PHOTODISSOCIATION OF K-2(B(1)PI(U)[-X(1)SIGMA(G)(+)) - A CASE STUDY OF FINAL-STATE ALIGNMENT IN ALL-OPTICAL MULTIPLE RESONANCE PHOTODISSOCIATION

Polarized emission resulting from the quantum state-selected photodissociation of K2 through quasibound levels of the B 1Πu state has been studied experimentally by high-resolution all-optical triple resonance techniques, and theoretically by generalized quantum defect theory using the adiabatic/recoil model for the dissociation dynamics. Observation of alignment in the initial state (from the photopreparation steps) and in the photofragment (from the photodissociation step) provides detailed insight into the dynamical evolution. Excellent agreement between the theoretical calculations and the experimental results is shown. © 1995 American Institute of Physics.