Visualizing Intramolecular Vibrational Redistribution in Cyclotrimethylene Trinitramine (RDX) Crystals by Multiplex Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering

The femtosecond time-resolved multiplex coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) technique has been performed to investigate intramolecular vibrational redistribution (IVR) through vibrational couplings in 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane (RDX) molecules. In the multiplex CARS experiment, the supercontinuum (SC) was used as broad-band Stokes light to coherently and collectively excite multiple vibrational modes, and quantum beats arising from vibrational couplings among these modes were observed. The IVR of RDX is visualized by a topological graph of these vibrational couplings, and with analysis of the topological graph, two vibrational modes, both of which are assigned to ring bending, are confirmed to have coupling interactions with most of the other vibrational modes and are considered to have a tendency of energy transfer with these vibrational modes. We suggest that the mode at 466 cm –1 is a portal of energy transfer from outside to inside of the RDX molecule and the mode at 672 cm –1 is an important transit point of energy transfer in the IVR.