Spectroscopy and vibrational relaxation of CNN in rare gas solids

Abstract

The CNN free radical was prepared by the reaction of C atoms with N₂ and its emission and laser excitation spectra were studied. The upper state is probably ³Π, and it shows a moderate Renner splitting. All three upper state vibrational fundamentals were determined. Vibrationally unrelaxed emission from several levels has been observed. Vibrational relaxation from the upper‐state stretching modes is shown to proceed via intramolecular mode‐to‐mode energy transfer to the bending frequency ν₂.