Chemical structure vs excitation frequency (photons)

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rppearso
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Is there a text, or set of texts, on how to predict what frequency of photon is released when a particular molecule is brought to an excited state and then relaxes?

So for example if you were to put, say, benzene into an electrical tube and excite it what frequency would be released and more importantly why?
 
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DrClaude said:
The best is to look at spectra. A good source is the NIST Chemistry WebBook.

For instance, on the page for benzene, you will find IR and UV/Vis spectra: https://webbook.nist.gov/cgi/cbook.cgi?Name=benzene&Units=SI

So if a substance/material gives off a certain frequency does that mean that it could also lase? Is there a book of meta-materials, such as materials that can accept one frequency to put electrons into an excited state but give off a different photon when the electrons drop back down?
 
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rppearso said:
So if a substance/material gives off a certain frequency does that mean that it could also lase?
Not necessarily. Many substances can be made to lase, but you not necessarily at any frequency where transitions can occur.

rppearso said:
Is there a book of meta-materials, such as materials that can accept one frequency to put electrons into an excited state but give off a different photon when the electrons drop back down?
It is not clear for me what you are after. Maybe if you look up chemical dye lasers you will find something.
 
DrClaude said:
Not necessarily. Many substances can be made to lase, but you not necessarily at any frequency where transitions can occur.It is not clear for me what you are after. Maybe if you look up chemical dye lasers you will find something.



About mid way through it states there are materials where you can put in one energy and get out another energy. Thus it seems to me with such a material you could in effect pump this material with an easy to attain energy/frequency and get back a more difficult to attain frequency energy?

But the big question is how big is that meta stable region (what frequencies/energies will it accept) in order to give off the desired frequency?

I am currently taking a course in solid state electronic devices and plan to take a course in quantum mechanics next semester to help me figure this stuff out.