ABSTRACT
Vibrational energy relaxation (VER) of molecules in condensed phases is a fundamental dynamical process [1-6]. Isolated molecules can undergo only intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR), and cannot lose vibrational energy except by slow radiative processes. VER is usually associated with condensed phases or high pressure gases [7]. VER refers to loss of energy from a specific vibrational mode (the ‘system’) to some or all of the other mechanical degrees of freedom (the ‘bath’). VER in condensed phases ordinarily occurs on the 10−13-10−9 s time scale, although slower VER has been observed in diatomics.
