Rate constants are reported for the relaxation of HCN (001) by HCN, Ar, N2, CO, and CO2. The possible mechanisms of energy transfer are discussed, especially the extent to which HCN behaves like a hydrogen halide. These are the first measurements in which HCN(001) has been prepared by direct optical pumping. A novel source of coherent,tunable, infrared radiation was employed. The output of a pulsed dye laser was downshifted using stimulated electronic Raman scattering in cesium vapor. The potential of this method for other experiments requiring selective vibrational excitation is considered briefly.
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