Electronic states of the CeO molecule: Absorption, emission, and laser spectroscopy

• Published in: Journal of molecular spectroscopy 1983-01, Vol.102 (2), p.441-497
• Main Authors: Linton, C., Dulick, M., Field, R.W., Carette, P., Leyland, P.C., Barrow, R.F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atomic and molecular physics; Exact sciences and technology; Molecular properties and interactions with photons; Physics; Properties of molecules and molecular ions; Rotation, vibration and vibration-rotation constants
• ISSN: 0022-2852; 1096-083X
• DOI: 10.1016/0022-2852(83)90053-X

The electronic spectrum of the CeO molecule is characterized by the existence of many 0-0 bands resulting from transitions between various Ω components of excited states and the 16 lower Ω states which arise from the lowest configuration… (4 f)(6 s). Classical studies of rotational structure of absorption and emission spectra have been extended, and argon-ion and tunable dye (coumarin 460, rhodamine 6G, rhodamine 101) lasers have been used to excite known transitions in bands which had previously been rotationally analyzed. The resulting fluorescence spectra have been used to establish the relative energies of the lower states. By tuning the lasers to excite analyzed transitions from different known electronic states it has been possible to determine the energies of 16 low-lying states, to assign quantum numbers to 14 with certainty, and to suggest assignments for the other 2. The resulting energy level diagram of lower states is discussed and shown to correlate well with the 4 f6 s configuration of the Ce 2+ ion. From the energies of the low-lying states, those of the higher excited states are calculated and in some cases new values of vibrational and rotational constants are derived.