LASER SPECTROSCOPY OF ZRO - ACCURATE TERM ENERGIES FOR THE TRIPLET-STATES

The wavelength-resolved fluorescence excitation technique has been use d to record the (0, 0) bands of the satellite e(3) Pi(1)-a(3) Delta(1) and e(3) Pi(2)-a(3) Delta(2) transitions of ZrO at a resolution of 0. 03 cm(-1). These data were combined with previous high-resolution anal yses of the ZrO beta system (B. Simard et al., Faraday Discuss. Chem S ec. 86, 163-180, 1988) and with the analysis of the intercombination e (3) Pi(1)-X(1) Sigma(divided by) transition (P. D. Hammer and S. P. Da vis, Astrophys. J. Lett. 237, 51-53, 1980) to obtain accurate term ene rgies for the triplet states of (ZrO)-Zr-90-O-16. Ligand field theory calculations were used to suggest electronic configurations for the ex cited states of ZrO. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.