Radiative lifetimes of the FeO orange system

The ground-state FeO molecules are generated from photolysis of Fe(CO)(5) i n a Fe(CO)(5)/M(O-2 or N2O)/Rg(He or Ar) mixture using an unfocused weak UV laser beam. The formation of ground-state FeO molecules is identified by a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) method. The LIF signal from FeO molecules is stronger in O-2 than in N2O at the same partial pressures. The radiativ e lifetimes for seven bands in the FeO orange system are measured. They are substantially different depending on the excited band ranging from 260 +/- 30 ns to 590 +/- 50 ns. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved .