title: Infrared observation of linear GeC3 trapped in solid Ar.
abstract: Linear GeC(3) has been synthesized and its vibrational spectrum observed for the first time. The cluster was detected by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy when the products from the dual laser ablation of either a pair of carbon and germanium rods or a single, sintered germanium-carbon rod were trapped in solid Ar at approximately 10 K. Comparison of (13)C isotopic shift measurements with the predictions of density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP/cc-pVDZ level has resulted in the identification of the nu(1)(sigma) and nu(2)(sigma) modes of linear GeC(3) at 1903.9 and 1279.6 cm(-1), respectively. For the related group IV clusters, this result is in contrast to SiC(3) for which two cyclic isomers have been observed but similar to C(4) for which only the linear isomer has been observed spectroscopically.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas 76129, USA.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: C M L
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Rittby
authors.forename: W R M
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Graham