Spectra and kinetics of the Rb2 molecule

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Abstract
In an effort to evaluate the potential of the Rb2 molecule as a high power laser system, spectra of the A 1Σu to X 1Σg band have been taken in absorption and fluorescence, using 1020 atom/cm3 of noble gas as a buffer. The potential curves for both molecular states were estimated from the temperature dependence of the normalized absorption, using the classical Franck–Condon principle. The rate constant for molecular formation of the A 1Σu state is estimated to be 9×10−32 cm6/sec using xenon as a buffer gas. However, this estimate was made on the basis of the normalized fluorescence which was emitted in that band. There appears to be a significant amount of nonradiative loss from that state, as evidenced by its low fluorescence efficiency compared to the RbXe molecule. Therefore, our estimate of the molecular formation rate could be low by as much as a factor of three. These nonradiative losses might be due to predissociation from the a 3π to the repulsive χ 3Σ state. This question must be more thoroughly investigated before any attempt is made to lase this molecule.

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