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Resonance enhanced Raman scatter in liquid benzene at vapor-phase absorption peaks

Document ID: 215

Willitsford, Adam H.¹
Chadwick, Christopher Todd²
Hallen, Hans D.²
Kurtz, Stewart³
Philbrick, C. Russell^2,3

¹ Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, U.S.A.
² North Carolina State University, Department of Physics, Raleigh, NC, U.S.A.
³ The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Electrical Engineering, University Park, PA, U.S.A.
 

Abstract

The resonance enhanced Raman spectra in the ¹B_2u mode of the forbidden benzene electronic transition band, ~230-270 nm, has been investigated. Resonance enhanced Raman scattering in both liquid benzene and liquid toluene exhibit the greatest enhancement when the wavelength of excitation is tuned to the vapor-phase absorption peaks; even though the sample volume is in a liquid state. Raman signals for the symmetric breathing mode of the carbon ring are found to be resonantly enhanced by several orders of magnitude (>500X) with deep UV excitation compared to non-resonant visible excitation. Since the benzene absorbs near this resonant wavelength, its effect on the sampled volume cannot be neglected in determining the resonance gain, as we discuss in detail. Large resonant gains correspond with excitation at the 247, 253, and 259 nm absorption peaks in the benzene vapor spectrum. The narrow region of resonance gain is investigated in detail around the absorption peak located at 259 nm using 0.25 nm steps in the excitation wavelength. We observe the resonance gain tracking the vapor phase absorption peaks and valleys within this narrow range. Results are interpreted in terms of the coherence forced by the use of a forbidden transition for resonance excitation.

 

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Keywords: resonance, Raman scatter, ultraviolet, absorption, fluorescence, spectroscopy

Citation:

"Resonance enhanced Raman scatter in liquid benzene at vapor-phase absorption peaks", Willitsford, A. H., C. T. Chadwick, H. D. Hallen, S. Kurtz, C. R. Philbrick, Optics Express, Vol. 21, No. 22, Optical Society of America (OSA), Washington, D.C., United States, 2013, pp. 26150 - 26161, DOI: 10.1364/OE.21.026150, OCIS: (260.5740), (290.5860), (040.7190), (300.1030), (260.2510), (300.0300)