The first spectroscopic observation of germanium carbide

The gas phase spectrum of the germanium carbide radical has been observed at low temperature in emission from a corona excited supersonic expansion source. Many vibrational bands involving the Ω = 0, 1, and 2 components of the (2)³Π–X³Π system were recorded and analyzed. The equilibrium transition energy is found at 21120.3 cm⁻¹, in good agreement with theoretical predictions. The fundamental vibrational frequency for the lowest energy ground state Ω = 2 component is 795.3 cm⁻¹.