Determination of the internal state distribution of the SD product from the S(1D)+D2 reaction -: art. no. 024303

The S(D-1)+D-2-->SD+D reaction has been studied through a photolysis-probe experiment in a cell. S(D-1) reagent was prepared by 193 nm photolysis of CS2, and the SD(X (2)Pi) product was detected by laser fluorescence excitation. The nascent rotational/fine-structure state distribution of the SD(X (2)Pi) product was determined. This reaction, previously studied theoretically and in a crossed molecular beam experiment, is known to proceed through formation and decay of a long-lived collision complex involving the deep well in the H2S ground electronic state. The determined SD rotational state distribution in the v=0 vibrational level was found to be approximately statistical, with a small preference for formation of the F-1 (Omega=3/2) fine-structure manifold over F-2 (Omega=1/2). The branching into the Lambda doublet levels was also investigated, and essentially equal populations of levels of A(') and A(') symmetry were found. The present results are compared with previous investigations of this reaction and the analogous O(D-1)+D-2 reaction. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.