2-DIMENSIONAL IMAGING OF THE PHOTOLYSIS OF ORIENTED MOLECULES

The angular distribution of fragments produced from the photolysis of oriented methyl iodide molecules, prepared in a single \JKM) state by hexapole selection, is state selectively detected by two-dimensional i on imaging. For the simple, direct, photolysis of methyl iodide at 266 nm, the angular distribution reflects the shape of the prepared orien ted symmetric top wave function. Analysis of the CD3 rotational produc t state distribution from photolysis of CD3I (JK = 11) indicates a pro pensity for conservation of the initial K quantum number and a minor e xcitation of rotational angular momentum around the figure axis result ing from the excited state dynamics.