A high resolution spectroscopic study of rhodium monochloride

Rhodium monochloride has been observed and characterized spectroscopically for the first time. The RhCl molecules were produced in a laser vaporization molecular beam source by the reaction of a laser vaporized rhodium plasma with CCl4 doped in helium, and laser-induced fluorescence and dispersed fluorescence were used to study 15 of the strongest bands spanning the 535-415 nm region. Twelve of these bands were studied at high resolution using a cw ring dye laser. Two low-lying states separated by 140 cm(-1) have been observed. The ground state has Omega = 2 and is attributed to a (3)Pi(i) state resulting from a delta(4)pi(3)sigma(1) electronic configuration. The other low-lying state has Omega = 3 and is attributed to a (3)Delta(i) state resulting from a delta(3)pi(4)sigma(1) electronic configuration. Excited states with Q values ranging from I to 4 have been observed. Dispersed fluorescence from these excited levels has been used to identify a large number of low-lying electronic states within an energy range of 5200 cm(-1) and has also been used to determine a ground state vibrational frequency of similar to 348 cm(-1). Lambda-doublings have been observed in all the transitions studied at high resolution. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.