Theoretical study of the low-lying electronic states of ZnO and ZnS

Theoretical spectroscopic constants (r_e, D_e) and dipole moments (μ, ∂μ/∂r) are determined for the ¹σ⁺, ^1,3Π and ³σ⁺ states of ZnO and ZnS, using extended Gaussian basis sets and incorporating correlation using both configuration- interaction and coupled pair (CPF) methods. Relativistic corrections (Darwin plus mass velocity), included using first-order perturbation theory, are relatively small. At the CPF level, both ZnO and ZnS have ¹Σ⁺ ground states, with the ³Π state lying 209 and 2075 cm⁻¹ higher, respectively. The ³σ⁺ state lies about 1.5 eV higher in ZnO and 2.1 eV higher in ZnS. The ^1,3Π states are relatively close together since the exchange splitting is small with the σ electron localized on Zn and the π electron on oxygen (or sulfur).