Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 February 2013
The infrared fluorescence decay and the dispersed emission spectrum are presented for gaseous benzene following 193 nm laser excitation. They were measured with FIREFLY (Fluorescence in the InfraRed from Excited FLYing molecules), a new home-made spectrometer. Redshift and redtail in the CH stretch emission spectra (3.3 μm region) demonstrate that anharmonicity plays a key role when dealing with high internal energies, as it is the case in the interstellar medium.