Abstract

For alkali metal dimers the B1Πu state is attractive with a repulsive hump at large internuclear separations. For sodium the correlation of this state with the dissociation atomic product states has been studied by laser absorption spectroscopy using an ion-detection/boxcar integration technique. The dye laser scan at the correct range of photon energies produces a hybrid transition comprising the molecular component from ground state $x1{\Sigma }_g^{+}$ to the dissociation hump of B1Πu and the atomic component at the some photon energy from product 3 ²P_1/2,3/2 states to an atomic Rydberg state. A molecular absorption band is identified that leads to population inversion between sodium 3 ²P_1/2,3/2 and 3 ²S states.

© 1992 Optical Society of America