NO product yield excitation spectrum of the S0→ S2 transition of nitrosobenzene in a supersonic jet

The absorption spectrum of the S0→ S2 transition of ultracold nitrosobenzene in a supersonic jet was measured indirectly by monitoring the product yield of the NO fragment. The vibrational structure and relative line intensities are in good agreement with the corresponding spectrum in an argon matrix. It is concluded that the yield of photofragmentation is constant for all vibronic S2-states up to an excess energy of 3500 cm−1. The electronic origin line has a Lorentzian lineshape with a homogeneous width of (90 ± 5) cm−1. This corresponds to a lifetime of τ(S2) = 60±3 fs.