SPECTROSCOPY OF REACTIVELY SCATTERED LiF FROM $Li + SF_{6}$

Abstract

The vibrational distribution of LiF produced from reactive scattering of Li and $SF_{6}$ has been measured by molecular beam electric resonance. A Boltzmann distribution is observed. The vibrational temperature of $1000 \pm 100^{0}$ K is considerably lower than expected from a long-lived complex ($1800^{0}$ K). Thus the reaction of $Li + SF_{6}$ is quite different from the previously studied reaction of $Cs + SF_{6}$.