An excimer laser is being purchased to be used to investigate the breakup of transition complexes such as those occurring in photodissociation, chemical reactions, inelastic collisions, or gas desorption from a surface. This instrument provides pulses of linearly-polarized ultra-violet light that are used to dissociate internally-cold molecules. The products are analyzed with a second laser, via laser-induced fluorescence, for specific electronic, vibrational, and rotational states. The determination of molecular alignments can yield detailed information about the dynamics of the reactions. For example, an unpaired electron lobe often preferentially points in the direction of a broken bond. The experiments add a new dimension of understanding to these processes.
