FLUORESCENCE EXCITATION SPECTRUM OF SILVER ARGON VANDERWAALS COMPLEX

Fluorescence excitation spectra of silver-argon van der Waals complexes are presented. An alternative experimental technique to laser evaporation has been used to produce the cold complexes. The van der Waals states observed correlate with the (4d10 5S1) 2S AG ground state and (4d10 5p)2P0 Ag first excited state. The excited state of the Ag-Ar complex is found to be 1235 cm-1 deep, which is unusually large for such metal-rare gas complexes. A perturbation due to a state correlating with the (4d9 5S2)2D metastable Ag state is also observed and analyzed.