Sublimation dynamics of CO2 thin films: A high resolution diode laser study of quantum state resolved sticking coefficients

Nascent quantum states of CO2 subliming from CO2 thin films at rates of 1 to 103 monolayers (ML) per second are probed via direct infrared absorption of the ν3 asymmetric stretch with a frequency ramped diode laser. The high spectral resolution (Δν≊15 MHz) of the diode laser and the use of polarization modulation techniques permit individual rotational, vibrational, translational, and even MJ degrees of freedom of the subliming flux to be studied with quantum state resolution. Measured rotational and ν2 bend vibrational distributions indicate that the molecules sublime from the surface in a Boltzmann distribution characterized by the thin film temperature Ts. Similarly, the velocity distributions parallel to the surface are well described by a Maxwell velocity distribution at Ts, as determined by high resolution Doppler analysis of the individual rovibrational line shapes. The MJ distribution of subliming rotational states is probed via polarization modulation methods; no alignment is detected within experimental sensitivity. This places an upper limit on the anisotropy in the rotational distribution of |n⊥/n∥−1|