Spectroscopy and dynamics of I2(B)-Ne

The I-2-Ne complex has been examined using double resonance and fluorescence depletion techniques. Action spectra for I-2(B,v)-Ne, detected by monitoring the I-2(B,v-1) predissociation fragments, show that the Delta nu=-1 predissociation channel is less efficient for levels above v=32 (with no excitation of the intermolecular vibrations), and closed for v > 36. From these data we obtained a revised estimate for the dissociation energy for I-2(B)-Ne of D-0=57.6 +/-1.0 cm(-1). Action spectra for I-2(B,v=34)-Ne, detected by monitoring I-2(B,v=33) fragments, revealed a progression of intermolecular vibrational levels that had not been observed previously. These levels have been assigned to T-shaped, linear, and delocalized states of I-2(B,v=34)-Ne. Assignments were based on characteristic vibrational distributions exhibited by the I-2(B,v-Deltav) predissociation fragments. Fluorescence depletion measurements show that all of the bands in the action spectrum originate from a common ground state level. Furthermore, the one atom cage effect fluorescence from I-2(B)-Ne can be depleted by transitions from the zero-point level of I-2(X)-Ne. These observations indicate that the ground state wave function is delocalized, sampling both the T-shaped and linear configurations of the complex. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.