Accurate Molecular Structure Determination by Femtosecond Degenerate Four-Wave Mixing

Abstract

Femtosecond degenerate four-wave mixing (fs-DFWM) is a Raman scattering type of rotational coherence spectroscopy that can be utilized for the measurement of highly accurate rotational and centrifugal constants of nonpolar molecules. The accuracy of the method has been tested using cyclopropane (C3H6). The rotational and centrifugal distortion constants of this symmetric-top molecule are known to high accuracy. The fs-DFWM constants are currently only surpassed by those determined by dipole distortion microwave spectroscopy.