²P _{1 2} excited iodine formation in the F + HI reaction

Fluorine atoms produced in a microwave discharge of SF₆ were mixed with HI molecules in a flow system. Groundstate and excited iodine atoms were monitored by measuring the absorption of atomic emission lines from an iodine resonance lamp. A model taking into account the formation of excited iodine atoms through the reactive channel as well as the VE energy transfer process from vibrationally excited HF molecules is discussed. The fraction of excited iodine atoms formed in the reaction is shown to be 0.5.