Laser induced fluorescence of ions trapped in an ion cyclotron resonance cell: Excitation of CO+X 2Σ, v′′ = 0 and relaxation of CO+A 2Π, v′ = 1

An experimental setup has been designed to study laser induced fluorescence of ions produced and trapped in an ICR cell. Fluorescence excited by a tunable dye laser and spontaneous emission may be observed. Production, trapping, excitation, and observation are pulsed and a time resolved signal processing is used in order to identify the different excited species and measure their lifetime. Excitation spectra of CO+A 2Π, v′ = 1←X 2Σ, v\ = 0 in pure CO and (Ar,CO) mixtures are presented. A radiative lifetime τR = 3.5 μs and collisional quenching rates kQ = 7.5×10−10 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 in CO and k′Q = 5.9×10−10 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 in Ar have been determined for the v′ = 1 level of the CO+A 2Π1/2 state.