Bound–free B2Σ+ –X2Π, A2Σ+ emission in the BAr van der Waals complex

Abstract

Spectrally resolved bound–free fluorescence emission spectra for the excitation of several vibrational levels in the excited B2Σ+ electronic state of the van der Waals molecule 11BAr are presented. This excited state emits to the ground X2Π and low-lying A2Σ+ states, both of which correlate with the ground state atomic asymptote B(2p2P) + Ar. Because of the large differences in equilibrium internuclear separations, the emission occurs mainly to the repulsive walls. In order to gain more information on this portion of the potential energy curves, the experimental emission spectra were compared with simulated spectra derived from ab initio calculated B–Ar interaction potentials. The simulated spectra reproduce the experimental spectra well if the lower-state potential energy curves are shifted slightly inward. This discrepancy is consistent with our previous observation that the ab initio calculations slightly overestimate the vibrationally averaged internuclear separation, which we determined experimentally. This reflects the difficulty of accurately calculating weak van der Waals interaction energies.