Determination of the rate constant of the vibrational energy transfer between the DF and CO2 molecules based on the time characteristics of the emission from a DF + CO2 chemical laser

A method was developed for the determination of the rate constant k_t(1) of the transfer of the vibrational energy in collisions between the DF (v = 1) and CO₂ (00⁰0) molecules. This method was based on an analysis of the delay time of the stimulated emission signal of λ = 10.6 μ wavelength. It was supplemented by allowance for the losses due to the finite value of the Q factor of the resonator and by a careful selection of the function describing the shape of the initiating light pulses. This made it possible to determine the T= 300°K value of k_t(1) which was (4.9±0.3) × 10¹² cm³·mole^–1·sec^–1 or (8.2±0.5) × 10^–12 cm³/sec. This value agreed satisfactorily with the values obtained by other methods.