Fourier Transform Emission Spectroscopy of the Low-Lying Electronic States of NbN

The high-resolution spectrum of NbN has been investigated in emission in the 3000-15 000 cm(-1) region using a Fourier transform spectrometer. The bands were excited in a microwave discharge through a mixture of NbCl(5) vapor, approximately 5 mTorr of N(2), and 3 Torr of He. Numerous bands observed in the near-infrared region have been classified into the following transitions: f(1)Phi-c(1)Gamma, e(1)Pi-a(1)Delta, C(3)Pi(0+)-A(3)Sigma(-)(1), C(3)Pi(0-)-A(3)Sigma(-)(1), C(3)Pi(1)-a(1)Delta, C(3)Pi(1)-A(3)Sigma(-)(0), d(1)Sigma(+)-A(3)Sigma(-)(0), and d(1)Sigma(+)-b(1)Sigma(+). These observations are consistent with the energy level diagram provided by laser excitation and emission spectroscopy Y. Azuma, G. Huang, M. P. J. Lyne, A. J. Merer, and V. I. Srdanov, J. Chem. Phys. 100, 4138-4155 (1993)]. The missing d(1)Sigma(+) state has been observed for the first time and its spectroscopic parameters are consistent with the theoretical predictions of S. R. Langhoff and W. Bauschlicher, Jr. J. Mol. Spectrosc. 143, 169-179 (1990)]. Rotational analysis of a number of bands has been obtained and improved spectroscopic parameters have been extracted for the low-lying electronic states. The observation of several vibrational bands with v = 1 has enabled us to determine the vibrational intervals and equilibrium bond lengths for the A(3)Sigma(-)(0), a(1)Delta, b(1)Sigma(+), d(1)Sigma(+), and C(3)Pi(1) states. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.