The NaK 1 1,3delta states: theoretical and experimental studies of fine and hyperfine structure of rovibrational levels near the dissociation limit

Hyperfine structure of the NaCs b3Π2 state near the dissociation limit 3S1/2 + 6P3/2 observed with ultracold atomic photoassociation

We report new observations of the hyperfine structure in three ro-vibrational levels of the b³Π₂ state of NaCs near the dissociation limit 3S_1/2 + 6P_3/2. The experiment was done via photoassociation of ultracold atoms in a dual-species dark-spot magneto-optical trap, and the spectra were measured as atomic trap losses. The simulation of the hyperfine structure showed that the greater part of the observed structure belongs to almost isolated levels of the b³Π₂ state, but there are other parts of mixed character where the contribution from the ¹Σ symmetry dominates.

An ab initio study of the ground and excited electronic states of the methyl radical

The ground and some excited electronic states of the methyl radical have been characterized by means of highly correlated ab intio techniques. The specific excited states investigated are those involved in the dissociation of the radical, namely the 3s and 3p_z Rydberg states, and the A₁ and B₁ valence states crossing them, respectively. The C-H dissociative coordinate and the HCH bending angle were considered in order to generate the first two-dimensional ab initio representation of the potential surfaces of the above electronic states of CH₃, along with the nonadiabatic couplings between them. Spectroscopic constants and frequencies calculated for the ground and bound excited states agree well with most of the available experimental data. Implications of the shape of the excited potential surfaces and couplings for the dissociation pathways of CH₃ are discussed in the light of recent experimental results for dissociation from low-lying vibrational states of CH₃. Based on the ab initio data some predictions are made regarding methyl photodissociation from higher initial vibrational states.

Experimental studies of the NaCs 12(0+) [71Σ+] state: Spin-orbit and non-adiabatic interactions and quantum interference in the 12(0+) [71Σ+] and 11(0+) [53Π0] emission spectra

We present results from experimental studies of the 11(0⁺) and 12(0⁺) electronic states of the NaCs molecule. An optical-optical double resonance method is used to obtain Doppler-free excitation spectra. Selected data from the 11(0⁺) and 12(0⁺) high-lying electronic states are used to obtain Rydberg-Klein-Rees and Inverse Perturbation Approach potential energy curves. Interactions between these two electronic states are evident in the patterns observed in the bound-bound and bound-free fluorescence spectra. A model, based on two separate interaction mechanisms, is presented to describe how the wavefunctions of the two states mix. The electronic parts of the wavefunctions interact via spin-orbit coupling, while the individual rotation-vibration levels interact via a second mechanism, which is likely to be non-adiabatic coupling. A modified version of the BCONT program was used to simulate resolved fluorescence from both upper states. Parameters of the model that describe the two interaction mechanisms were varied until simulations were able to adequately reproduce experimental spectra.

Experimental studies of the NaCs 5(3)Π0 and 1(a)3Σ+ states

We report high resolution measurements of 372 NaCs 5(3)Π(0)(v, J) ro-vibrational level energies in the range 0 ≤ v ≤ 22. The data have been used to construct NaCs 5(3)Π(0) potential energy curves using the Rydberg-Klein-Rees and inverted perturbation approximation methods. Bound-free 5(3)Π(0)(v, J) → 1(a)(3)Σ(+) emission has also been measured, and is used to determine the repulsive wall of the 1(a)(3)Σ(+) state and the 5(3)Π(0) → 1(a)(3)Σ(+) relative transition dipole moment function. Hyperfine structure in the 5(3)Π(0) state has not been observed in this experiment. This null result is explained using a simple vector coupling model.

Ab initio and long-range investigation of the Ω((+∕-)) states of NaK dissociating adiabatically up to Na(3s 2S(1/2)) + K(3d 2D(3/2))

A theoretical investigation of the electronic structure of the NaK molecule including spin-orbit effects has been performed for the 34 Ω((+∕-)) states dissociating adiabatically into the limits up to Na(3s(2)S(1/2)) + K(3d(2)D(3/2)) from both an ab initio approach and a long-range model. Equilibrium distances, transition energies, harmonic frequencies as well as depths of wells and heights of humps are reported for all the states. Formulas for calculating the long-range energies for all the 0(+∕-), 1, 2, and 3 states under investigation are also displayed. They are expressed in terms of the C(n) (n = 6,8, ...) long-range coefficients and exchange integrals for the (2S+1)Λ((+)) parent states, available from literature. As present data could help experimentalists we make available extensive tables of energy values versus internuclear distances in our database at the web address: http://www-lasim.univ-lyon1.fr/spip.php?rubrique99.

Nonadiabatic coupling in the 3 3Pi and 4 3Pi states of NaK

The excited 3 (3)Pi and 4 (3)Pi electronic states of the NaK molecule exhibit an avoided crossing, leading to the anomalous behavior of many features of the rovibrational energy levels belonging to each state. A joint experimental and theoretical investigation of these states has been carried out. Experimental measurements of the vibrational, rotational, and hyperfine structure of numerous levels of the 3 (3)Pi state were recently obtained using the Doppler-free, perturbation-facilitated optical-optical double resonance technique. Additional measurements for the 4 (3)Pi state as well as bound-free emission spectra from selected 3 (3)Pi, 4 (3)Pi, and mixed 3 (3)Pi to approximately 4 (3)Pi rovibrational levels are reported here. A model is also presented for calculating the mixed rovibrational level energies of the coupled 3 (3)Pi-4 (3)Pi system, starting from a 2x2 diabatic electronic Hamiltonian. The 3 (3)Pi and 4 (3)Pi potential curves and the coupling between them are simultaneously adjusted to fit the observed rovibrational levels of both states. The energy levels of the potential curves determined by the fit are in excellent agreement with experiment. The nonadiabatic coupling is sufficiently strong to cause an overall shift of 2-3 cm(-1) for many rovibrational levels as well as somewhat larger shifts for certain pairs of 3 (3)Pi to approximately 4 (3)Pi levels that would otherwise be very close together.