Knowledge Bank

The millimeter wave spectra of the diatomic oxides of the alkaline earth metals barium, strontium and calcium have been observed in the 80-220 GHz region. These refractory species were produced in the gas phase through the reaction of nitrous oxide, $N2O$, with metal vapor entrained in argon carrier gas. For all three molecules, rotational transitions have been measured in the ground and first excited vibrational states of the $X1\Sigma$ ground electronic state.