THE NO(A(4)PI)-STATE - SPECTROSCOPY OF THE A(4)PI(I)-X-2-PI(R), 11-0-BANDS AND 14-0-BANDS

Improved spectroscopic measurements have been made on the NO(a (4) Pi( i)-X (2) Pi(r)) 11-O band, and new measurements on the 14-O band, brin ging the explored region of the a (4) Pi state to within 0.3 eV of the NO dissociation limit. Doubling and mixing of dye laser radiation is used to access the 200-210 nm region with an ultraviolet linewidth of 0.15 cm(-1). The a (4) Pi molecules collisionally convert their energy to the B (2) Pi state, from which radiation is detected. Almost 300 l ines have been observed in each of the two bands, and accurate spectro scopic constants are presented. New information is provided on the rel ative positioning of perturbed levels in the a (4) Pi and B (2) Pi sta tes. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.