Tomasz J. Wasowicz

Formation of CN (B2Σ+) radicals in the vacuum-ultraviolet photodissociation of pyridine and pyrimidine molecules

Formation of the excited CN(B2Σ+) free radicals in the photodissociation of pyridine (C5H5N) and pyrimidine (C4H4N2) molecules was investigated over the energy ranges 16–27 and 14.7–25 eV, respectively. Photon-induced fluorescence spectroscopy was applied to detect the vibrationally and rotationally excited CN radicals by recording the B2Σ+→X2Σ+ emission bands (violet system). The measured dissociation yield curves demonstrate that the CN(B2Σ+) formation occurs via excitation of pyridine and pyrimidine molecules into higher-lying superexcited states. This is followed by rearrangement and isomerization of the excited molecules before dissociation. The vertical excitation energies of the superexcited states were determined and the probable dissociation mechanisms of both molecules are discussed.

Superexcited states in the vacuum-ultraviolet photofragmentation of isoxazole molecules

The photofragmentation of isoxazole molecules producing excited atomic and molecular fragments has been investigated over the energy range 16–50 eV, using photon-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. The following fragments have been identified by their fluorescence: the excited hydrogen atoms H(n), n = 3–7 and the diatomic CH(A 2 � , B 2 � − ), CN(B 2 � + ) and C2(d 3 � g) fragments. The diatomic fragments are vibrationally and highly rotationally excited. The fragmentation yield curves for the CH(A 2 � ), CN(B 2 � + ), C2(d 3 � g) and the H(n), n = 3–7 deduced from their emission yields, were obtained in the photon energy ranges from their appearance energies up to 50 eV. It is found that the fragmentation occurs via excitation into higher lying superexcited states of isoxazole. The vertical excitation energies of these states were determined and their possible fragmentation processes are discussed. (Some figures may appear in colour only in the online journal)

Fragmentation of Tetrahydrofuran Molecules by H+, C+, and O+ Collisions at the Incident Energy Range of 25–1000 eV

We have studied fragmentation processes of the gas-phase tetrahydrofuran (THF) molecules in collisions with the H(+), C(+), and O(+) cations. The collision energies have been varied between 25 and 1000 eV and thus covered a velocity range from 10 to 440 km/s. The following excited neutral fragments of THF have been observed: the atomic hydrogen H(n), n = 4-9, carbon atoms in the 2p3s (1)P1, 2p4p (1)D2, and 2p4p (3)P states and vibrationally and rotationally excited diatomic CH fragments in the A(2)Δ and B(2)Σ(-) states. Fragmentation yields of these excited fragments have been measured as functions of the projectile energy (velocity). Our results show that the fragmentation mechanism depends on the projectile cations and is dominated by electron transfer from tetrahydrofuran molecules to cations. It has been additionally hypothesized that in the C(+)+THF collisions a [C-C4H8O](+) complex is formed prior to dissociation. The possible reaction channels involved in fragmentation of THF under the H(+), C(+), and O(+) cations impact are also discussed.

Hydrogen migration in formation of NH(A3Π) radicals via superexcited states in photodissociation of isoxazole molecules

Formation of the excited NH(A(3)Π) free radicals in the photodissociation of isoxazole (C3H3NO) molecules has been studied over the 14-22 eV energy range using photon-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. The NH(A(3)Π) is produced through excitation of the isoxazole molecules into higher-lying superexcited states. Observation of the NH radical, which is not a structural unit of the isoxazole molecule, corroborates the hydrogen atom (or proton) migration within the molecule prior to dissociation. The vertical excitation energies of the superexcited states were determined and the dissociation mechanisms of isoxazole are discussed. The density functional and ab initio quantum chemical calculations have been performed to study the mechanism of the NH formation.

Observation of the Hydrogen Migration in the Cation-Induced Fragmentation of the Pyridine Molecules.

The ability to selectively control chemical reactions related to biology, combustion, and catalysis has recently attracted much attention. In particular, the hydrogen atom relocation may be used to manipulate bond-breaking and new bond-forming processes and may hold promise for far-reaching applications. Thus, the hydrogen atom migration preceding fragmentation of the gas-phase pyridine molecules by the H(+), H2(+), He(+), He(2+), and O(+) impact has been studied experimentally in the energy range of 5-2000 eV using collision-induced luminescence spectroscopy. Formation of the excited NH(A(3)Π) radicals was observed among the atomic and diatomic fragments. The structure of the pyridine molecule is lacking of the NH group, therefore observation of its A(3)Π → X(3)Σ(-) emission bands is an evidence of the hydrogen atom relocation prior to the cation-induced fragmentation. The NH(A(3)Π) emission yields indicate that formation of the NH radicals depends on the type of selected projectile and can be controlled by tuning its velocity. The plausible collisional mechanisms as well as fragmentation channels for NH formation in pyridine are discussed.

O 1s excitation and ionization processes in the CO2 molecule studied via detection of low-energy fluorescence emission

Oxygen 1s excitation and ionization processes in the CO2 molecule have been studied with dispersed and non-dispersed fluorescence spectroscopy as well as with the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photon–photoion coincidence technique. The intensity of the neutral O emission line at 845 nm shows particular sensitivity to core-to-Rydberg excitations and core–valence double excitations, while shape resonances are suppressed. In contrast, the partial fluorescence yield in the wavelength window 300–650 nm and the excitation functions of selected O+ and C+ emission lines in the wavelength range 400–500 nm display all of the absorption features. The relative intensity of ionic emission in the visible range increases towards higher photon energies, which is attributed to O 1s shake-off photoionization. VUV photon–photoion coincidence spectra reveal major contributions from the C+ and O+ ions and a minor contribution from C2 +. No conclusive changes in the intensity ratios among the different ions are observed above the O 1s threshold. The line shape of the VUV–O+ coincidence peak in the mass spectrum carries some information on the initial core excitation.

Elimination and migration of hydrogen in the vacuum-ultraviolet photodissociation of pyridine molecules

Elimination of the excited hydrogen atoms H(n), n = 4–7, and hydrogen migration in formation of the excited NH(A 3Π) free radicals in the photodissociation of pyridine, C5H5N, molecules have been studied over the 17.5–70 eV photon energy range. In the measurements the photon-induced fluorescence spectroscopy technique has been applied. Both fragments are produced through excitation of pyridine molecules into higher-lying superexcited Rydberg or doubly excited states. The mechanisms for fragmentation of pyridine into H(n) and NH(A 3Π) are discussed. Ab initio quantum chemical calculations have been performed to elucidate the hydrogen migration mechanism in the NH formation, which is not a self-contained unit in the structure of pyridine.

Hydrogen migration in photodissociation of the pyridine molecules

Photodissociation of the pyridine molecules has been studied experimentally over the 16-70 eV photon energy range. Formation of the excited NH(A3Π) radicals has been observed among several other atomic and dia-tomic fragments, using the photon-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. Since the pyridine molecules do not con-tain the NH structural units, this is an indication of the bond rearrangement processes associated with migration of the hydrogen atoms prior to dissociation. The plausible mechanisms for the NH formation will be discussed.

Charge transfer and formation of complexes in the He+ collisions with the furan molecules

Charge transfer and formation of the collision complexes have been studied experimentally in fragmentation of the furan molecules in collisions with He+ cations. The excited atomic and diatomic fragments of furan have been identified using collision-induced luminescence spectroscopy. Charge transfer ionization of the furan molecules has been observed in production of helium atoms in the excited 1s4d 1D2, 3D1,2,3 states. The fragmentation yields of the excited fragments have been measured as a function of the projectile energies (velocities) in the range 5-1000 eV. Enhancement of the fragmentation yields occurring at lower velocities may indicate formation of the [He-C4H4O]+ collision complexes prior to dissociation.

Electron impact fragmentation of pyrrole molecules studied by fluorescence emission spectroscopy

The paper presents the way that colour can serve solving the problem of calibration points indexing in a camera geometrical calibration process. We propose a technique in which indexes of calibration points in a black-and-white chessboard are represented as sets of colour regions in the neighbourhood of calibration points. We provide some general rules for designing a colour calibration chessboard and provide a method of calibration image analysis. We show that this approach leads to obtaining better results than in the case of widely used methods employing information about already indexed points to compute indexes. We also report constraints concerning the technique. Nowadays we are witnessing an increasing need for camera geometrical calibration systems. They are vital for such applications as 3D modelling, 3D reconstruction, assembly control systems, etc. Wherever possible, calibration objects placed in the scene are used in a camera geometrical calibration process. This approach significantly increases accuracy of calibration results and makes the calibration data extraction process easier and universal. There are many geometrical camera calibration techniques for a known calibration scene [1]. A great number of them use as an input calibration points which are localised and indexed in the scene. In this paper we propose the technique of calibration points indexing which uses a colour chessboard. The presented technique was developed by solving problems we encountered during experiments with our earlier methods of camera calibration scene analysis [2]-[3]. In particular, the proposed technique increases the number of indexed points points in case of local lack of calibration points detection. At the beginning of the paper we present a way of designing a chessboard pattern. Then we describe a calibration point indexing method, and finally we show experimental results. A black-and-white chessboard is widely used in order to obtain sub-pixel accuracy of calibration points localisation [1]. Calibration points are defined as corners of chessboard squares. Assuming the availability of rough localisation of these points, the points can be indexed. Noting that differences in distances between neighbouring points in calibration scene images differ slightly, one of the local searching methods can be employed (e.g. [2]). Methods of this type search for a calibration point to be indexed, using a window of a certain size. The position of the window is determined by a vector representing the distance between two previously indexed points in the same row or column. However, experiments show that this approach has its disadvantages, as described below. * E-mail: A.Nowakowski@ire.pw.edu.pl Firstly, there is a danger of omitting some points during indexing in case of local lack of calibration points detection in a neighbourhood (e.g. caused by the presence of non-homogeneous light in the calibration scene). A particularly unfavourable situation is when the local lack of detection effects in the appearance of separated regions of detected calibration points. It is worth saying that such situations are likely to happen for calibration points situated near image borders. Such points are very important for the analysis of optical nonlinearities, and a lack of them can significantly influence the accuracy of distortion modelling. Secondly, such methods may give wrong results in the case of optical distortion with strong nonlinearities when getting information about the neighbouring index is not an easy task. Beside this, the methods are very sensitive to a single false localisation of a calibration point. Such a single false localisation can even result in false indexing of a big set of calibration points. To avoid the above-mentioned problems, we propose using a black-and-white chessboard which contains the coded index of a calibration point in the form of colour squares situated in the nearest neighbourhood of each point. The index of a certain calibration point is determined by colours of four nearest neighbouring squares (Fig.1). An order of squares in such foursome is important. Because the size of a colour square is determined only by the possibility of correct colour detection, the size of a colour square can be smaller than the size of a black or white square. The larger size of a black or white square is determined by the requirements of the exact localisation step which follows the indexing of calibration points [3]. In this step, edge information is extracted from a blackand-white chessboard. This edge information needs larger Artur Nowakowski, Wladyslaw Skarbek Institute of Radioelectronics, Warsaw University of Technology, Nowowiejska 15/19, 00-665 Warszawa, A.Nowakowski@ire.pw.edu.pl Received February 10, 2009; accepted March 27, 2009; published March 31, 2009 http://www.photonics.pl/PLP