PHOTOFRAGMENTATION SPECTROSCOPY OF MG2CO2+

We report the visible photofragmentation spectroscopy of Mg2CO2+. Two molecular absorption bands, leading to both Mg+ and Mg2+ daughter fragments, are observed. In the red band (ranging from almost-equal-to 630 to almost-equal-to 725 nm), both Mg+ and Mg2+ action spectra consist of a progression of discrete vibrational resonances, superimposed on a continuum background. In the green band (almost-equal-to 530 to almost-equal-to 568 nm), the absorption profile consists of a structureless continuum, void of resonance features. We assign the red band as 1 2PI<--1 2SIGMA+, and the green band as 2 2SIGMA+ <-- 1 2SIGMA+, in a linear Mg2CO2+ complex. The fragmentation dynamics are, however, not understood.