Excitation spectrum of the chemical reaction F2+O2 in the red spectral range

A search has been made for new, low-energy pathways of the reaction F2+O2→O2F+F or O2F2 through excitation of F2 or O2 in an oxygen matrix with red and near infrared photons. By monitoring the product yield as a function of laser irradiation frequency, a reaction excitation spectrum of O2+F2 was recorded which begins at 14 500 cm-1 and extends through the entire red spectral range. It revealed two discrete absorptions O21Σ+/sub g/, v' = 1reverse arrow3Σ-/sub g/, v'' = 0 and (O2)2(1Δ/sub g/,1Δ/sub g/)0,0 reverse arrow(3Σ-/sub g/, 3Σ-/sub g/)0,0, and a continuous, oxygen-enhanced absorption of F2 which is assigned to excitation to the repulsive part of the weakly bound 3Pi0+/sub u/ state. The F2 absorption detected in this experiment extends more than 200 nm to longer wavelengths than any electronic absorption of molecular fluorine reported so far