Spectroscopic studies of jet-cooled AlNi

Abstract

Resonant two-photon ionization spectroscopy has been used to interrogate diatomic AlNi produced by laser vaporization of a 1:1 alloy target in a supersonic molecular beam of helium. Although a large density of states in this molecule prohibits a concise elucidation of its electronic structure, the presence of discrete transitions has allowed several bands to be rotationally resolved. From the analysis of these bands the ground state has been determined as X 2Δ5/2, originating from the 3sAl23dNi9σ2 configuration, and the bond length has been measured as 2.3211±0.0007 Å. The dissociation energy and ionization potential of AlNi have also been determined as D0○(AlNi)=2.29±0.05 eV and I.P.(AlNi)=6.95±0.09 eV, respectively.