MASS-RESOLVED SINGLE-PHOTON VUV LASER SPECTRA OF XE-2 NEAR XE-ASTERISK-5D[5 2](0)(3) AND XE-ASTERISK-5D[3/2](0)(1)/

Single-photon transitions of jet-cooled Xe-2 have been recorded using a vacuum ultraviolet laser operating between 82 386-82 587 cm(-1) and 83 706-84 006 cm(-1). Molecular ions produced by (1 + 1') resonance en hanced multiphoton ionization and atomic fragment ions resulting from excited state predissociation were mass selected in a linear time-of-f light mass spectrometer. Subsequent vibrational analyses have led to m olecular constants for two Rydberg states which dissociate to Xe(S-1(0 )) + Xe5d[5/2](0)(3) and Xe(S-1(0)) + Xe*5d[3/2](0)(1), estimates fro m Franck-Condon factor calculations are also provided. Possible electr onic symmetries for the excited states are proposed using angular mome ntum and long-range interaction theory arguments. (C) 1997 Academic Pr ess.