Photoexcitation of the rare-gas excimer molecules Ne₂*, Ar₂* and Kr₂*

Abstract

The photoabsorption of the rare-gas excimers Ne2*, Ar2*, and Kr2* for wavelengths between 300 and 520 nm is investigated. Rydberg series are found for all three molecules and are attributed to Rg2*(ms 3 Sigma u+(0u-,1u)) to Rg2*(np 3 Pi g(1g, 2g)) transitions. The molecular ionisation energies are (34340+or-60), (29345+or-25) and (28490+or-40) cm-1 for Ne2*, Ar2* and Kr2* respectively. The molecular quantum defects are found to be slightly smaller than the defects of the corresponding asymptotic atomic states. The dissociation energies of the Rg2*(m3 Sigma u+) states are (5421+or-460), (5643+or-140) and (4823+or-60) cm-1 for Ne2*, Ar2* and Kr2* respectively.