The electronic spectrum of F₂

Abstract

The absorption spectrum of F 2 in the 780–1020 Å range has been photographed at sufficient resolution to allow a rotational analysis of many bands. A large number of vibrational levels of three ionic states have been observed and their rotational constants determined. Many perturbations in the rotational structure caused by the interaction between the three states have been investigated and the interaction energies determined. The rotational and vibrational structures of a few Rydberg states have also been analyzed in detail but no Rydberg series have been identified. The difficulties in assigning the observed states are discussed. A 1 Σ u + – X 1 Σ g + emission band system has been observed in the 1100 Å region. An analysis of the bands of this system has allowed us to determine the term values and rotational constants of all the vibrational levels of the ground state with ν ≤ 22. The dissociation energy, D 0 (F 2 ), is found to be greater than 12 830 and is estimated to be 12 920 ± 50 cm −1 .