EXTENDING THE MILLIMETER/SUB-MILLIMETER SPECTRUM OF PROTONATED FORMALDEHYDE (H2COH+) FOR COMPARISON TO ASTRONOMICAL DATA

Molecular ions have long been known to drive rich, complex chemistry in the interstellar medium (ISM). Of particular interest is the protonated formaldehyde ion (H$_{2}$COH$^{+}$) as it is the main reactant in the formation and destruction of formaldehyde (H$_{2}$CO) and a precursor to protonated methanol (H$_{3}$COH$_{2}$$^{+}$) as well as the simplest amino acid, glycine (NH$_{2}$CH$_{2}$COOH). Using a pulsed supersonic expansion discharge source to produce the ion, the expansion was probed with millimeter/sub-millimeter light. The known 3$_{0,3}$ $\leftarrow$ 2$_{0,2}$ transition at 190079.131 MHz has been previously detected in our lab utilizing a multipass optical set-up and the fast-sweep technique. However, in an effort to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the transition with fewer averages, the experimental set up was changed and the signal has not been recovered. Here we will present the status of the experiment and the results obtained thus far in the context of the experimental design and possible future improvements. Once this transition is detected again, the spectrum will be extended past 385 GHz up to 1 THz and compared to astronomical observations in order to more confidently determine its presence in the ISM and to provide a spectral catalog that can guide future high frequency observations