AUTOIONIZATION OF HIGH ORBITAL ANGULAR MOMENTUM STATES OF CALCIUM MONOFLUORIDE

Abstract

The use of a double-resonance laser excitation scheme and proper choice of intermediate electronic state has enabled the observation of high orbital angular momentum states of calcium monofluoride with $\ell$ $\>=$ 3 and one or two quanta of core vibrational excitation. These states undergo vibrational autoionization by $\Delta$v$^{+}$ = 1 and $\Delta$v$^{+}$ = 1 processes. The structure of these states and their observed rates of autoionization are compared with the predictions of the long-range force model of core-nonpenetrating states.