Deactivation of higher vibration levels of HF by F atoms

The vibrational relaxation times of HF(v=3) and HF(v=1) in the presence of F atoms have been measured in a slow-flow fluorescence cell at room temperature. The HF is pumped to vibrational levels v=1, 2, and 3 by a pulsed HF laser. It was found that F atoms deactivate HF(v=3) faster than they do HF(v=1) by a factor of 20.8±2.0. This dependence of the deactivation rate coefficient on v agrees with that determined for the exothermic V-V or V-R,T deactivation of HF(v=1 to 3) by N₂, O₂, D₂, and HCl.