Knowledge Bank

Rydberg states of alkaline earth monohalides are interesting because of the polar closed shell ion core. We have observed Rydberg states of CaF where $n>5$ using pulsed-pulsed optical-optical double resonance via the intermediate $A2\Pi 3/2$ state. O.O.D.R. transitions are detected by observing a resonant decrease in fluorescence of the intermediate state as the probe laser is scanned. We will report on the analysis of CaF Rydberg states including an estimate of the ionization potential and quantum defects. An analysis of a perturbation between an n,f, and n.d complex could yield a direct measure of the $CaF+,X1\Sigma +$ dipole moment.