  Detection of nascent O($^3P_j$, $j=2,1,0$) atoms using one-photon resonant
excitation to the $3s\,^3S^o_1$ state at $\sim 130$ nm followed by
near-threshold ionization, i. e., 1 + 1' resonance enhanced multi-photon
ionization (REMPI), has been investigated. The aim was to achieve low ion
recoil, improved sensitivity, and reliable angular momentum polarization
information, with an as simple as possible laser setup. An efficient 1 + 1'
scheme has been found where the VUV light for the first step 1 is generated by
difference frequency ($2\omega_1 - \omega_2$) VUV generation by four wave
mixing in Kr gas, and the ionization step 1' uses 2$\omega_2$ at 289 nm. The
presented scheme induces 9 m/s recoil of the O$^+$ ion using a two-dye laser
system, and zero recoil should be possible by generating 302 nm radiation with
a third dye laser. While this approach is much more sensitive than a previous 1
+ 1' scheme using 212.6 nm for the 1' step, we found that the relatively
intense 289 nm radiation does not saturate the 1' step. In order to test the
ability of this scheme to accurately determine branching ratios, fine structure
yields, and angular distributions including polarization information, it has
been applied to O$_2$ photodissociation around 130 nm with subsequent
O($^3P_j$) fragment detection.
