Infrared structural holeburning and orientational tunneling of NH3D+ ions in ammonium cobalt sulfate

Abstract
An infrared diode laser has been used to irradiate one of the N–D stretching bands of the title compound. The irradiation induces reorientation of the NH3D+ ions and the N–D stretching spectrum changes accordingly. The perturbed orientational distribution of the NH3D+ ions relaxes back to equilibrium by tunneling. The various rates have been measured.