Knowledge Bank

The reaction between indium and water vapoar is of interest to the nuclear industry- The laser excitation spectrum of the products of this reaction at a temperature between $870-890\circ C$ was recorded in a supersonic expansion of argon. Bands were observed between 340-400nm for which the rotational fine structure could be resolved into P, Q and R transitions. The spectrum of the deuterated isotopomer was also recorded and points to indium (I) hydroxide (InOH) as the most likely carrier molecule. The rotational and excited state vibrational constants given below (in $cm-1$) were obtained by least squares fitting and confirmed by computer simulation. Dispersing the fluorescence from the intense bands gives the following provisional ground state vibrational constants.