title: Observation of the A1A" state of isocyanogen.
abstract: The A1A" state of isocyanogen, CNCN, is observed using photofragment fluorescence excitation spectroscopy in a room temperature cell and in a molecular beam. The spectra are highly congested, but progressions that correspond to the Franck-Condon active C-N-C bending vibration in the excited state are evident. Linewidth measurements indicate that the excited state lifetime is <10 ps. These measurements are consistent with previous ab initio calculations, which predicted a bent excited state with a short lifetime due to predissociation. Although we do not believe that we have observed the origin band of the electronic transition, we place an upper limit of 42,523 cm(-1) on the energy of the excited state zero point level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Evansville, Evansville, Indiana 47722, USA.
authors.forename: W Bryan
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: Hans A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Bechtel
authors.forename: Adam H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Steeves
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Curley
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Field