Tunable far-IR laser spectroscopy of jet-cooled carbon clusters:  the nu 2 bending vibration of C3.
Seven rovibrational transitions of the (01(1)0) <-- (00(0)0) fundamental bending band of C3 have been measured with high precision with the use of a tunable far-infrared laser spectrometer.  The C3 molecules were produced by laser vaporization of a graphite rod and cooled in a supersonic expansion.  The astrophysically important nu 2 fundamental frequency is determined to be 63.416529(40) cm-1.  These measurements provide the basis for studies of C3 in the interstellar medium with far-infrared astronomy.
Schmuttenmaer
C A
CA
Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley 94720, USA.
Cohen
R C
RC
Pugliano
N
N
Heath
J R
JR
Cooksy
A L
AL
Busarow
K L
KL
Saykally
R J
RJ
D001256:Astronomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D007834:Lasers; D016082:Solar System; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013057:Spectrum Analysis
D002244:Carbon