Total Photoabsorption Cross Section of Molecular Nitrogen Near 83.4 nm

Abstract

The photoabsorption cross section of molecular nitrogen near 83.4 nm has been measured at room temperature. The cross sections at the wavelengths of the 2s2p 4 4p•, 4P3/2, and 4P 1/2 (all - 2s22p3 4S0 3/2) O* emission lines are measured to be 10.1 + 1.6 Mb, 0.29 _+ 0.02 Mb, and 0.049 _+ 0.008 Mb respectively. These measurements were made with an O'emission discharge source, and repeated using a synchrotron radiation source. Both measurements were made with the 0.008-nm resolution 6.65-m spectrometer at the SURF lI storage ring of the National Institute for Standards and Technology.