INVESTIGATION OF THE LOW-$n^{\ast}$ RYDBERG STATES OF CALCIUM MONOFLUORIDE NEAR THE INTERSECTION WITH THE $^{2}\Sigma$ DISSOCIATIVE POTENTIAL

Author Institution: Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyPrevious work in our laboratory has shown that a single repulsive state (assigned as $^{2}\Sigma^{+}$) is responsible for predissociation of all $^{2}\Sigma^{+}$ Rydberg states of CaCl in the low-$n^{\ast}$ region. The difference between the dissociation limit of $C^{a}Cl$ and its first ionization potential is $15,500 cm^{-1}$ while the difference is only $2,800 cm^{-1}$in $CaF$, suggesting that lower Rydberg states in $CaF$ will not be as extensively predissociated. However, we have recently observed significant predissociation in $CaF$. The double resonance spectra of the low-$n^{\ast} (n=5-7)$ Rydberg states of $CaF$ have been reinvestigated in an attempt to characterize the repulsive $^{2}\Sigma^{+}$ state responsible for the predissociation in $CaF$