Knowledge Bank

The triatomic oxdie, $Al2O$, was prepared by oxidation of laser vaporized aluminum, or by vaporization of alumina. Both fluorescence excitation and wavelength resolved emission spectra were taken of a transition located near 38249 $cm-1$. These spectra are consistent with a linear, centrosymmetric Al-O-Al structure. Analysis of the spectrum yields an AlO bond length of 0.164 nm and values of 525 $cm-1(\Sigma g+)$, $99cm-1(\Pi u)$, and 992 $cm-1(\Sigma g+)$ for the ground state fundamental vibrations, which are in good agreement with theoretical values.