Predissociation quantum yields of singlet nitrogen

The branching between predissociation and photoemission is measured using a fast beam technique for several excited singlet states of the nitrogen molecule that lie at energies between 110 000 and 113 000 cm^-1 above the ground electronic state. The specific states probed in this study are b' ¹Σᵤ⁺(v=9--13), c' ¹Σᵤ⁺(v=3,4), and ¹Πᵤ⁺(v=3,4), and substantial predissociation is observed in each. The present measurements are compared with previous measurements of the branching ratio and with the predissociation rates implied by previous lifetimes and absorption linewidth measurements.