OODR-LIF direct measurement of N2(C 3Πu, v = 0–4) electronic quenching and vibrational relaxation rate coefficients by N2 collision

We report measurements of electronic quenching and vibrational relaxation rate constants by collision with N2 of the whole N2(C3Πu, v = 0–4) vibrational manifold. These results are obtained by selective excitation of single vibrational levels by Optical–Optical Double Resonance laser pumping from the triplet metastable N 2 ( A 3 Σ u + ) , and observation of the fluorescence (LIF) emitted by both directly pumped and collision populated vibrational levels. A pulsed dielectric barrier discharge is used as N 2 ( A 3 Σ u + ) source.