GROUND-STATE FE ATOM FORMATION EFFICIENCIES FROM 2-PHOTON DISSOCIATION OF FE(CO)(5) AT 386.0, 368.0, 319.3 AND 298.4NM

Relative formation efficiencies of the ground state Fe atoms from two- photon dissociation of Fe(CO)(5) have been studied using an unfocused weak laser pulse at 386.0, 368.0, 319.3 and 298.4 nm. The laser wavele ngths correspond to a(5)D(4) --> z(5)D(4) --> a(5)D(4) --> z(5)F(4), a (5)D(4) --> z(3)F(4) and a(5)D(4) --> y(5)D(3) transition frequencies of an Fe atom. The relative amounts of Fe atoms generated by two-photo n dissociation of Fe(CO)(5) were obtained by comparing the emission in tensities from the excited state of Fe atoms with and without a pulsed de discharge. The relative formation efficiencies are 100:21:0.2:0.08 as the photon energy decreased.