Investigation of the relaxation mechanism of the lower active levels of a photochemical XeO laser

An investigation was made of the luminescence of an excimer XeO $(a^1\Sigma^+,b^1\Pi)$, formed as a result of the reactions O $(^1D)+$ Xe $\rightleftarrows$ XeO $(a^1\Sigma^+,b^1\Pi)$, O $(^1S)+$ Xe $+$ Xe $\to$ XeO $^*(d^1\Sigma^+)+$ Xe, and XeO $^*(d^1\Sigma^+)\to$ XeO $(a^1\Sigma^+,b^1\Pi)+h\nu$. The transition in the last reaction involved a level of VeO $(a^1\Sigma^+,b^1\Pi)$ lying above the lowest of the points of crossing of these and of $X^3\Pi$, $A^3\Sigma$ states, so that the molecules of XeO $(a^1\Sigma^+,b^1\Pi)$ predissociated rapidly.