Multipass Millimeter/Submillimeter Spectrometer to Probe Dissociative Reaction Dynamics
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Laas, Jacob C.; Hays, Brian M.; Widicus Weaver, Susanna L.
- Source
- The Journal of Physical Chemistry - Part A; 20240101, Issue: Preprints
- Subject
- Language
- ISSN
- 10895639; 15205215
We present here the instrument design and first experimental results from a multipass millimeter/submillimeter spectrometer designed to probe dissociative reaction dynamics. This work focuses on benchmarking the instrument performance through detection of the CH3O and H2CO products from methanol dissociation induced by a high-voltage plasma discharge. Multiple rotational lines from CH3O and H2CO were observed when this plasma discharge was applied to a sample of methanol vapor seeded in an argon supersonic expansion. The rotational temperature of the dissociation products and their abundance with respect to methanol were determined using a Boltzmann analysis. The minimum detectable absorption coefficient for this instrument was determined to be αmin≤ 5 × 10–9cm–1. We discuss these results in the context of future applications of this instrument to the study of photodissociation branching ratios for small organic molecules that are important in complex interstellar chemistry.