15min:

K. ATHANASSENAS, C. T. KINGSTON, A. J. MERER AND J. R. D. PEERS, Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6T 1Z1.; D. A. GILLETT, Lambda Physik, Inc., 3201 West Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309..

\noindent Excitation spectra of the new molecules YOH and YOD have been recorded in the 500-625 nm wavelength region by laser-induced fluorescence, following reaction of laser-ablated yttrium with H₂O or D₂O under supersonic jet-cooled molecular beam conditions. Rotational analyses of ¹⁺ - X¹⁺ bands near 540 nm at high resolution gave the following substitution structure for the ground state: \begincenter X¹⁺: r(Y-O) = 1.948 Å; r(O-H) = 0.92₁ Å. \endcenter Wavelength-resolved fluorescence spectra have given the ground state vibrational frequencies \begincenter YOH (YOD): ₂, bend = 314 (247) cm^-1; ₃, YO stretch = 674 (654) cm^-1 \endcenter No evidence for the ₁ (OH stretch) mode was observed. Very complicated weak structure at the long wavelength end may possibly correspond to a singlet-triplet transition.