Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol.110, No.1, 197-208, 1999
Pendular state spectroscopy of an asymmetric top: Parallel and perpendicular bands of acetylene-HF
We report here a comprehensive theoretical and experimental study of the pendular state spectroscopy of a near-prolate asymmetric top molecule and consider the specific case of the acetylene-HF binary complex in a static electric field. The experiments were carried out using the optothermal detection method and the spectra were recorded in an electric field of sufficient magnitude to give rise to substantial orientation in a number of states. The calculated and experimental spectra are compared for different vibrational band types and polarization configurations. In this way we have identified the states that give the best orientation and thus are well suited to photodissociation studies. The hybridized orientational probability distributions are presented for the relevant states.
Keywords:PHOTOFRAGMENT ANGULAR-DISTRIBUTIONS;VIBRATIONALPREDISSOCIATION;ELECTRIC-FIELDS;BRUTE FORCE;MOLECULES;ORIENTATION;DIMER;PHOTODISSOCIATION