Vibrational predissociation and electronic quenching dynamics of OHN2 (A 2Σ+)

The vibrational predissociation and electronic quenching dynamics of weekly bound OHN2 (A 2Σ+) complexes have been examined using laser-induced fluorescence and dispersed fluorescence. We find that predissociation occurs on a ⩽1 ps timescale for complexes prepared in levels correlating with OH A 2Σ+(ν′=1) + N2 X 1Σ+(ν″=0). Furthermore, we suggest a simple kinetic analysis which describes the removal of population and lack of fluorescence from OHN2 levels bound by the OH A 2Σ+ (ν′=0) +N2 X 1Σ(ν″=0) potential energy surface. This mechanism implies that nonadiabatic decay, i.e. quenching, may be important for these complexes.