ROTATIONAL ANALYSES OF LASER-INDUCED AMPLIFIED SPONTANEOUS EMISSION IN THE E(2)SIGMA(-2-SIGMA(+)(NU=5), L(2)PI(NU=2), B-2-PI(NU=21), AND F-2-DELTA(NU=0) STATES OF NO()(NU=1), D)

Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) from single rotational levels of Rydberg states, E(2) Sigma(+)(upsilon = 1), D-2 Sigma(+)(upsilon = 5), and F2 Delta(upsilon = 0), as well as valence states, L(2) Pi(upsilon = 2) and B-2 Pi(upsilon = 21), of NO molecules has been investigated. These states were populated through optical-optical double resonance excitation via the A(2) Sigma(+)-(upsilon' = 0 and 1) states. ASE exci tation spectra exhibited an excellent signal-to-noise ratio, demonstra ting a high potential of the laser induced ASE (LIASE) technique as a novel spectroscopic technique for the study of excited states of small molecules. The rotational structure in dispersed ASE spectra have bee n fully resolved, which resulted in detailed information on the radiat ive ASE relaxation processes down to the A(2) Sigma(+) state.