Excitation and relative differential oscillator strengths for trifluoromethyl sulphur pentafluoride, SF5CF3, in the UV-VUV region by electron energy loss spectroscopy

Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) has been used to study the photo-absorption spectrum of trifluoromethyl sulphur pentafluoride (SF5CF3) for the first time. Comparison is made with the EELS spectrum of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). The photolysis of the compound is discussed with relevance to estimated lifetimes in the atmosphere. It is estimated that the lifetime of SF5CF3 is of the order of 1000 years.