Dispersed fluorescence (DF) spectroscopy was used to record a 22 500 cm(-1)
spectrum of the vibrational energy levels of formyl fluoride (HFCO) and th
ereby determine harmonic frequencies and anharmonic constants for the S-0 p
otential energy surface. Sample molecules were cooled in a supersonic expan
sion and excited to low J, K-a = 0 rotational states in the 6(2) vibrationa
l level of S-1 HFCO, and the resulting fluorescence was dispersed from 255
to 600 nm, Long progressions in the CO stretch (v(2) = 0-6) and out-of-plan
e bend (v(6) = 0-23) and shorter progressions in the CF stretch (v(4) = 0-2
) and FCO bend (v(5) = 0-2) are observed. Analysis of the spectrum results
in 240 assignments, including 196 new assignments and 56 assignments above
the approximate 17 000 cm(-1) dissociation threshold. The data are fit to a
n anharmonic oscillator model with a standard deviation of 3.3 cm(-1).