Excited Electronic State Cross Sections for Group 3 Halide and Oxide Production: Evaluating Relative Excited-State Quantum Yields.

The cross sections for excited-state formation from the reactions of the group 3 metals, Sc, Y, and La, with F and NO, are evaluated from experimental data. Detailed calibrations indicate that the cross sections for MF formation greatly exceed those for MO formation. The experimentally determined cross sections are compared to upper bounds for total reactive cross sections. Based on this comparison, the ratios of excited state to ground state product formation (quantum yield) are evaluated. The reactions of Sc and Y with F, which produce excited states selectively, may represent candidates to create a population inversion for use in a chemical laser.