Effect of a triplet to singlet state interaction on photofragmentation dynamics: highly excited states of HBr probed by VMI and REMPI as a case study

Abstract

Analysis of mass resolved spectra as well as velocity map images derived from resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) of HBr via resonance excitations to mixed Rydberg (6pπ ³Σ⁻(v′ = 0)) and valence (ion-pair) (V ¹Σ⁺(v′ = m + 17)) states allows characterization of the effect of a triplet-to-singlet state interaction on further photoexcitation and photoionization processes. The analysis makes use of rotational spectra line shifts, line intensity alterations, kinetic energy release spectra as well as angular distributions. Energy-level-dependent state mixing of the resonance excited states is quantified and photoexcitation processes, leading to H⁺ formation, are characterized in terms of the states and fragmentation processes involved, depending on the state mixing.