10min:

E. AHMED, B. BESER, P. QI, S. KOTOCHIGOVA, Physics Department, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122; J. HUENNEKENS, Physics Department, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015; A. M. LYYRA, Physics Department, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122.

The absolute value of the transition dipole moment function µ_e(R) of the A^{1 +}_u-X^{1 +}_g band of Na₂ was mapped experimentally within a relatively large range of internuclear distance R. The transition dipole moment matrix element of a set of rovibrational transitions between the A^{1 +}_u and X^{1 +}_g states was measured using the Autler-Townes (AT) effect. By employing the R-centroid approximation, or a fit with a polynomial function involving the higher R-moments, µ_e as function of the internuclear distance was constructed. The AT effect based measurements give the absolute value of µ_e which can be used to "normalize" the transition dipole moment functions µ_e(R) obtained with other experimental techniques, such as line intensity based measurements, which in general give only the relative behavior of µ_e(R).