LASER SPECTROSCOPY OF RUTHENIUM CONTAINING DIATOMIC MOLECULES: RuH/D AND RuP.

In the last few years, the Cheung group in Hong Kong and the Steimle group in Arizona have successfully studied several ruthenium containing diatomic molecules, RuX (X =Cfootnote{F. Wang et al., Journal of Chemical Physics 139, 174318 (2013).}, Ofootnote{N. Wang et al., Journal of Physical Chemistry A 117, 13279 (2013).}, Nfootnote{T. Steimle et al., Journal of Chemical Physics 119, 12965 (2003).}, Bfootnote{N. Wang et al., Chemical Physics Letters 547, 21 (2012).}), using the laser-ablation molecular jet technique. Based on this success, the UNB spectroscopy group decided to try and find the optical signatures of other RuX molecules. Using chem{CH_3OH} and chem{PH_3} as reactant gases, the RuH and RuP diatomic molecules have been detected in surveys of the 420 - 675 nm spectral region. RuD has also been made using fully deuterated methanol as a reactant. Dispersed fluorescence experiments have been performed to determine ground state vibrational frequencies and the presence of any low-lying electronic states. Rotationally resolved spectra for these molecules have also been taken and the analysis is proceeding. The most recent results will be presented