Migration of translationally excited fluorine atoms in solid argon and their reactions with small guest molecules

Solid state reactions of photogenerated F atoms with CO and O2 molecules were studied in dilute mixtures of F2 + CO and F2 + O2 in solid argon by infrared spectroscopy. UV laser photolysis of F2 at 16 K produces high yields of stabilized FCO and FO2 radicals. Spectral and kinetic analysis reveals that formation of radicals occurs by reaction of translationally excited F atoms with isolated CO or O2 molecules. Analysis of the photochemical yields of the radicals shows that the average distance traveled by each translationally hot F atom is at least 1.4 nm (3–4 argon lattice periods).