Knowledge Bank

A pulsed Nd-YAG ablation source has been coupled to a Fabry-Perot cavity. Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. The pulsed laser is used to vaporize ``non-volatile'' substances in the throat of a pulsed nozzle source. The vaporized substances are entrained in an inert carrier gas and pulsed into the Fabry-Perot cavity of the Fourier transform spectrometer. Initial experiments have involved the first microwave measurement of the interstellar species $SiC2$. The $101-000$ transition of $\mathrm{<mrow\; data-mjx-texclass="ORD">28</mrow>}SiC2$ was observed at 23600.242(4) MHz and the corresponding transitions of $\mathrm{<mrow\; data-mjx-texclass="ORD">29</mrow>}Si$ and $\mathrm{<mrow\; data-mjx-texclass="ORD">30</mrow>}Si$ were also observed. $SiC2$ was vaporized from a silicon carbide target rod. The electric dipole moment has also been measured and found to be 2.393(6) D. In another experiment the $J=3-2$ and 2-1 transitions of KCl have been observed and measured. In this case, liquid KCl was used to coat the SiC rod. Descriptions of these and subsequent experiments will be given.