Knowledge Bank

The electronic structure of $Cs2+$ has been investigated by photodissociation of fast molecular ions (formed by field ionization from a liquid cesium droplet) using dye lasers and fixed frequency lines from argon and krypton ion lasers covering portions of the wavelength range between 406 and 950 nm. The nature of the electronic transitions is characterized through analysis of their dependence on wavelength, polarization, and photofragment energy. Bound-free transition from the ground $X2\Sigma g+$ state to $12\Sigma u+$ (near 950 nm) and to $22\Sigma u+$ and $22\Pi u$ (406 to 530 nm) are observed, as well as predissociated bound-bound transitions to $12\Pi u$ (770 to 810 nm). In the latter case a spin-orbit splitting of $280cm-1$ is resolved. Supported by NSF Grant No. PHY 8112534