Diode Laser Spectroscopy of NaD, KD, RbD, and CsD: Determination of the Mass Independent Parameters and Mass Scaling Coefficients of the Alkali Metal Hydrides

Abstract

Abstract The infrared spectrum of the monodeuterides of the alkali metals, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium have been measured with a nominal accuracy of ±0.001 cm-1 using a diode laser spectrometer. Spectral lines of both the fundamental and the first hot band were observed for all the deuterides except RbD where only the fundamental was measured. The accuracy of previously published data on KH was also improved. Combination of these new data with similar results obtained previously for the equivalent monohydrides allowed the determination of a set of mass-independent parameters and mass-scaling coefficients for the hydrides of all of the alkali metals. This has allowed the relative magnitudes of the parameters to be compared for the first time. The results indicate that non-adiabatic effects are most prevalent in CsH.