Spectra of the quantum yield of l(2P1/2) atoms in photodissociation of laser iodide molecules

An analysis was made of the possibility that the quantum yield of metastable iodine atoms has been underestimated for the nitrosyl chloride method. A new determination was made of the spectra of the quantum yield of photodissociation of the iodides CF₃I, C₃F₇I, (CF₃)₂CFI, and (CF₃)₃CI. The method used was based on flash photolysis of iodides by radiation from a broad-band plasma source made monochromatic using a set of narrow-band interference filters and on the observation of luminescence from metastable atoms. A clear qualitative interpretation of the results is proposed. For the last two iodides the results give a much more optimistic forecast of their laser capabilities than the results of the nitrosyl chloride method.