High resolution Raman spectroscopy of the fundamental vibrational band of 16O2

The vibrational Raman spectrum of ¹⁶O₂ has been recorded with high resolution (0.05 cm^?1 for the Q branch). The expansion of the Hamiltonian as a sum of irreducible tensors of the O(3) group allowed us to obtain easily the expressions for the energy levels, taking into account the off-diagonal matrix elements. From the analysis of the spectrum the excited state constants have been calculated; in particular the rotational constants obtained are: B₁ = 1.421884 ± 0.000013 cm^?1 and D₁ = (?4.864 ± 0.014)10^?6 cm^?1.