Synchrotron radiation study of the molecular xenon fluorescence around 2000 Å

Abstract

Time‐gated fluorescence spectra have been obtained in xenon excited by synchrotron radiation around the first resonance line. Evidence of the emission from the left turning point of the Xe₂ excited O_u⁺ (³P₁) potential curve is obtained between 2000 and 2100 Å for different excitation wavelengths. From our results, we propose an experimental potential curve for the O_u⁺ state with an equilibrium distance R_e of 3.25 Å and a well depth D_e of 5000 cm⁻¹. Franck–Condon factors have been calculated with this curve for the bound–free transitions between different vibrational levels of the O_u⁺ excited state and the O_g⁺ ground state. They are in excellent agreement with experiment.