Investigation of the spectral dependences of the excitation of high vibrational levels of the UF6 molecule

An experimental investigation was made of the excitation of high vibrational states of the UF₆ molecule by infrared laser radiation. The spectral and energy dependences were determined of the absorption of 16 μ radiation by UF₆ gas undergoing single-frequency interaction with CF₄ laser radiation, and of the visible luminescence of the UF₆ molecules in the case of two-frequency interaction with CF₄ and CO₂ laser radiation in a static gas cell at 300 °K. It was found that the visible luminescence can serve as a quantitative measure of the number of UF₆ molecules excited above the first dissociation limit. A possible isotopic dissociation selectivity was estimated and the deexcitation times of electronic and vibrational excitation of the UF₆ molecule were measured.