The visible spectrum of rhenium mononitride

The rhenium mononitride radical has been produced in a molecular beam laser vaporization source and its laser-induced fluorescence spectrum has been observed in the 375-542 nm region. Sixteen new bands have been observed and rotational analyses have been carried out for 15 of these. The bands have been classified into several electronic systems based on Re-185/Re-187 isotopic shifts, Delta G(v + 1/2) vibrational quanta, rotational constants, and excited state lifetimes. Three further bands were previously identified as belonging to the [23.8]1-X0(+) system. In addition to the ReN study, an examination of the rotationally resolved spectrum of ReO has shown that its ground state has Omega '' = 5/2. Electron configurations delta(2) sigma(2) and delta(3) sigma(2) have been proposed for the ground states of ReN and ReO, respectively. Possible electron configurations for the excited states of ReN have been identified. (C) 1997 Academic Press.