Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol.115, No.13, 5943-5956, 2001
Complete characterization of the a (6)Delta state of the FeH radical
The electronic spectrum of the FeH radical at near ambient (similar to 450 K) temperature has been re-investigated at high resolution. More than 150 lines have been assigned by the use of LIF and dispersed LIF techniques. Dispersed fluorescence experiments in the green region have shown surprisingly strong Delta Omega =0, +1, +2... transitions in the e (6)Pi -a (6)Delta system, for which the case (a) selection rule is Delta Omega=-1. The analysis of Delta Omega =0 and -1 sub-bands in this system has given term values in the previously unseen Omega =1/2 and -1/2 components of a (6)Delta (v=0), e (6)Pi (-1/2) (v=0) and a (6)Delta (1/2) (v=1). The a (6)Delta state is now experimentally confirmed as a state of sextet nature and is only the second sextet state of FeH to be seen in all spin-orbit components (the other is c (6)Sigma (+)). The a (6)Delta state is not well-described by a single state effective Hamiltonian; the best fit to this model gives a standard deviation of around 125 times the experimental error. In addition, term values have been determined for a set of levels whose term value origin lies at 3175 cm(-1) above the ground state. These have been tentatively assigned to the v=0 level of the C (4)Phi (9/2) component and are hypothesised to be the cause of the known perturbation to the a (6)Delta (9/2) (v=1) level.