The red band of CuO has been observed at high resolution using Intracavity Laser Spectroscopy (ILS). The red band was rotationally analyzed in 1974 by Appelblad and Lagerqvist and a portion of the band structure was assigned as the spectrum as the [16.5] A 2Σ+ - X 2Πi transition. In 1977, Lefebvre et al. rotationally analyzed the A’ 2Σ- - X 2Πi transition, and, as a result of this analysis, suggested that the 2Σ+ state reported by Appelblad and Lagerqvist was 2Σ- in character. In this study, the spectrum of CuO was recorded in the in the regions 16,150 cm-1 - 16,270 cm-1 and 16,405 cm-1 - 16,545 cm-1. The CuO molecules were produced in the plasma discharge of a copper hollow cathode with 0.6 torr of argon as the sputter gas and a trace amount of O2 as the source of oxygen. The plasma spectra were recorded intermittently with spectra from an external I2 cell, and line positions from the widely used Iodine Atlas were used for calibration. Both 63CuO and 65CuO were observed with appreciable intensity. The resulting spectra were rotationally analyzed for both isotopologues, fitting the data as a 2Σ- - 2Π transition using PGOPHER as suggested by Lefebvre et al. Previously unreported molecular constants were obtained from the fit for 65CuO, and the constants of 63CuO are determined to at least an order of magnitude greater than the results of Appelblad and Lagerqvist. Results of this analysis will be presented.

Reexamination of the red band of CuO: Analysis of the [16.5] 2Σ- - X 2Πi transition of 63CuO and 65CuO

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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