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Title: Observation of the infrared spectra of the deuterated triatomic hydrogen molecular ions: H/sub 2/D/sup +/, HD/sub 2//sup +/, and D/sub 3//sup +/

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:5007187

The infrared vibrational-rotational spectra of the deuterated triatomic hydrogen molecular ions, H/sub 2/D/sup +/, HD/sub 2//sup +/. amd D/sub 3//sup +/ have been observed with the Doppler-tuned ion-beam laser spectroscopic method with collision detection. Triatomic hydrogen molecular ions are produced in a coaxial electron-impact ion source. Next, the ions are accelerated and formed into a beam of several keV energy, which is then intercepted at a small angle by a frequency-stabilized CO laser beam. The energy of the ion beam is adjusted to Doppler-shift an ion transition into resonance with a nearby laser line. On resonance, the laser light stimulates the transition to take place. If the resonating states differ in population, the laser-induced transition produces a net population transfer. The occurence of population transfer is detected by monitoring the transmission of the ion beam through a gas target after laser interaction. The transmission through the target is dependent upon the ion beam population distribution and, therefore, the laser-induced transition can be detected by detecting the change of the transmission of the ion beam. A mass analyzer before the target gas facilitates the mass identification of the observed transition. 45 D/sub 3//sup +/ transition frequencies, 9 H/sub 2/D/sup +/ transition frequencies, and 31 HD/sub 2//sup +/ transition frequencies, all between 1650 and 2000 cm/sup -1/, to better than 0.0005 cm/sup -1/ or 0.3 ppm have been measured. The identifications of the quantum numbers are still in progress. This study should greatly help the search of H/sub 3//sup +/ and H/sub 2/D/sup +/ ions in interstellar medium.

Research Organization:
Arizona Univ., Tucson (USA)
OSTI ID:
5007187
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English