Laser-Induced Fluorescence Molecular Beam Investigation of New Singlet and Triplet Electronic States of Yttrium Monohydride

The yttrium monohydride spectrum in the range 12 500-25 000 cm⁻¹ has been studied by various laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) techniques. YH (YD) molecules have been produced in a free jet molecular beam apparatus by a laser vaporizing yttrium metal in the presence of He doped with H₂ (D₂) or NH₃ (ND₃). Low-resolution (∼0.04 cm⁻¹) excitation spectra have been recorded in the entire studied range. Four green bands (19 300-19 900 cm⁻¹) of the YH isotopomer have been studied in more detail: (1) high-resolution (∼120 MHz, ∼0.004 cm⁻¹) excitation spectra have been recorded, (2) dispersed fluorescence spectra have been obtained, and (3) lifetimes of the selected rotational levels of the upper states have been measured. Our observations have confirmed that the ground state of yttrium monohydride has ¹Σ⁺ symmetry and have provided a link between the singlet and triplet manifolds. The upper states of the observed transitions have been tentatively assigned to five electronic states, d0⁺, f³Π, f′1, D¹Π, E0⁺, and Fl. The low-energy excited electronic state observed in the dispersed fluorescence experiment has been assigned as the a³Δ state.