Laser-induced fluorescence and excitation spectra of the ZnH molecule

Abstract

Radiative transitions between the A2Π and X2Σ+ states of the ZnH molecule were induced using pump-and-probe methods of laser spectroscopy and resulted in the observation of several fluorescence and excitation bands with rotational structure. A time-evolution study of the fluorescence yielded the radiative lifetime τ0 = 47 ± 3 ns for the A2Π state; the cross section for quenching the A2Π, ν = 0 state by Zn collisions was estimated to be (2.4 ± 0.3) × 10−15 cm2. We also concluded that the ground-state ZnH molecule is a transient species that exists for approximately 10 μs.