H. Diez-y-Riega, H. Eilers
Jun 16, 2012
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0
Influential Citations
7
Citations
Journal
Applied Physics B
Abstract
Abstract2-nitrotoluene is a taggant used in explosive compounds and also often used as a simulant for nitro-based high explosives. Various spectroscopic techniques focus on the detection of vibrationally excited NO as an indicator for the presence of explosives. We report on the photo-dissociation of 2-nitrotoluene using UV and 532 nm wavelengths. We not only observe vibrationally excited NO in its electronic ground state, but also vibrationally excited NO in its electronic excited state. The photo-dissociation of 2-nitrotoluene leads to the formation of atomic carbon and its emission, overlapping the NO emission, is observed. Energy transfer from laser-excited nitrogen to NO leads to NO emission with long lifetimes. Argon atoms stabilize 2-nitrotoluene molecules and delay their photo-dissociation.