Branching ratios for the dissociative decay of triplet H2

A systematic study has been performed on the singly excited n=3 triplet gerade states of molecular hydrogen using fast-neutral-beam photofragment spectroscopy. These states fluoresce to the triplet 2p states and are analyzed according to the energy released in the subsequent dissociation process. The resulting spectra are compared with theoretical results obtained by solving the coupled nuclear Schrödinger equation. Good overall agreement is reported for both the shape of the spectra and the branching ratios for fluorescence to either one of the triplet 2p states. Rotational and vibrational couplings that affect the n=3 triplet gerade complex are well described by theory. © 1991 The American Physical Society.