Abstract

A simple system for generation of tunable VUV radiation below the LiF cutoff without the need for differential pumping is described. A pulsed nozzle valve is utilized to introduce the nonlinear medium in a compact vacuum system which may also contain a molecular species under study. This approach has been used to sensitively detect individual quantum states (v" = 0), (f = 0-4) of molecular hydrogen by excitation of the Lyman system (B‘2 J - Y2 J) and the Werner system (0U_u - Y 2£) around 101 nm. The resulting VUV emission is defected at right angles using a solar-blind photomultiplier (EMI 628L315) while simultaneously monitoring the transmitted VUV output through a 0.3-m differentially pumped monochromator (McPherson 218) equipped with an electron multiplier (EMI D233).

© 1983 Optical Society of America