EVIDENCE FOR QUASI-BOUND STATES IN HIGHLY EXCITED CO+ AND NO+

Quasibound rovibronic states in CO+ and NO+ with excitation energies o f more than 20 eV are formed in charge-exchange reactions of CO2+ and NO2+ with alkali atoms. The kinetic energy released upon dissociation is measured by using translational spectroscopy. A new and simple devi ce is presented to determine which fragment holds the charge. A large number of quasibound states is found, spread over all dissociation lim its. The complexity of the spectra prevents a full interpretation of a ll structures. The absence of long-lived vibrationally excited states in CO2+, which was predicted theoretically, is corroborated.