Published in

American Institute of Physics, The Journal of Chemical Physics, 3(139), p. 034318

DOI: 10.1063/1.4811672

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Timescales for adiabatic photodissociation dynamics from the à state of ammonia

Journal article published in 2013 by Adam S. Chatterley ORCID, Gareth M. Roberts, Vasilios G. Stavros
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.

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Abstract

Photodissociation dynamics after excitation of the A˜ state ν′2 = 4 (umbrella) level of ammonia are investigated using ultrafast time-resolved velocity map ion imaging (TR-VMI). These studies extend upon previous TR-VMI measurements[K. L. Wells, G. Perriam, and V. G. Stavros, J. Chem. Phys.130, 074308 (Year: 2009)]10.1063/1.3072763, which reported the appearance timescales for ground state NH2(X˜)+H photoproducts, born from non-adiabatic passage through an X˜/A˜ state conical intersection (CI) at elongated H–NH2 bond distances. In particular, the present work sheds new light on the formation timescales for electronically excited NH2(A˜)+H species, generated from NH3 parent molecules that avoid the CI and dissociate adiabatically. The results reveal a step-wise dynamical picture for the production of NH2(A˜)+H products, where nascent dissociative flux can become temporarily trapped/impeded around the upper cone of the CI on the A˜ state potential energy surface (PES), while on course towards the adiabatic dissociation asymptote – this behavior contrasts the concerted mechanism previously observed for non-adiabatic dissociation into H-atoms associated with ro-vibrationally “cold” NH2(X˜) . Initially, non-planar NH3 molecules (species which have the capacity to yield adiabatic photoproducts) are found to evolve out of the vertical Franck-Condon excitation region and towards the CI region of the A˜ state PES with a time-constant of 113 ± 46 fs. Subsequently, transient population encircling the CI then progresses to finally form NH2(A˜)+H photoproducts from the CI region of the A˜ state PES with a slower time-constant of 415 ± 25 fs. Non-adiabatic dissociation into ro-vibrationally “hot” NH2(X˜) radicals together with H-atoms is also evidenced to occur via a qualitatively similar process.