Spin Polarized Alkali Clusters: Observation of Quartet States of the Sodium Trimer

Journal Article · Fri Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1996 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.77.4532· OSTI ID:399859

Higgins, J; Ernst, W; Callegari, C; Reho, J; Lehmann, K; Scoles, G ^[1]; Gutowski, M ^[2]

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1. Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544 (United States)
2. Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352 (United States)

Using helium cluster-isolation spectroscopy we have prepared and characterized the lowest quartet state (1{sup 4}{ital A}{prime}{sub 2}) of the sodium trimer. Upon excitation to the 2{sup 4}{ital E}{prime} electronic state, laser induced fluorescence excitation and emission spectra have been obtained. With the aid of {ital ab initio} calculations, the spectra have been vibronically assigned and new insights on the nonadditivity of van der Waals interactions have been obtained. It is found that approximately 80{percent} of the interaction energy in the 1{sup 4}{ital A}{prime}{sub 2} state of Na{sub 3} is due to nonadditive effects. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}

• OSTI ID: 399859
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 22 Vol. 77; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
AB INITIO CALCULATIONS
ATOMIC CLUSTERS
EMISSION SPECTRA
EXCITATION
FLUORESCENCE
SODIUM
SPECTROSCOPY
SPIN
VAN DER WAALS FORCES