THE B[-X ELECTRONIC-SPECTRUM OF N-2(+)-NE

The electronic spectrum of N2+-Ne has been measured in the region corresponding to the B 2-SIGMA-u+ <-- X 2-SIGMA-g+ origin and 1-0 transitions of N2+. Spectra were obtained by irradiating a mass selected population of N2+-Ne and monitoring the production of N2+ as a function of wavelength. Low temperature N2+-Ne spectra exhibit several well resolved bands. From the shift of the N2+-Ne origin with respect to that of free N2+ it is apparent that the complex dissociation energy D0 is 146.5 cm-1 greater in the B state than the X state. Pronounced changes in the complex's spectrum occur as the effective temperature is increased. The hottest spectra resemble a broadened and truncated N2+ spectrum. The breaking off at the high energy end of the spectrum at elevated temperatures allows us to establish a rough ground-state dissociation energy of 300 cm-1. Other conclusions resulting from this work are that the equilibrium geometry of the N2+-Ne molecule is probably linear in X and B electronic states, that the DELTA-G1/2 for the low frequency stretch in the B state is 104 cm-1, and that the N-N stretching motion is affected only very weakly by the presence of the Ne atom.