A millimeter/submillimeter velocity modulation spectrometer for studies of molecular ions Rev. Sci. Instrum. 76, 043106 (2005); 10.1063/1.1879372 Application of blazed gratings to millimetersubmillimeter wave gyrotronsA design is presented for a mlllimeter/submillimeter direct absorption spectrometer for studies of the pure rotational spectra of metal-bearing free radicals. The spectrometer operates in the frequency range of 65-550 GHz with an instrumental resolution of 200-1000 kHz and an absorption sensitivity of a few ppm. The instrument utilizes phase-locked Gunn oscillators as the tunable, coherent source of radiation from 65-140 GHz. Higher source frequencies are obtained with Schottky diode multipliers. The gas cell and optics path are designed utilizing Gaussian beam optics to achieve maximum interaction between molecules and the mm-wave radiation in the reaction region. Scalar feedhorns and a series of PTFE lenses are used to propagate the source signal. The gas cell is a cylindrical tube 0.5 m in length with a detachable Broida-type oven. The detector for the spectrometer is a helium-cooled InSb hot electron bolometer. Phase-sensitive detection is achieved by FM modulation of the Gunn oscillators and use of a lock-in amplifier. Spectra are recorded by electrical tuning of the Gum-r oscillator, which is done under computer control. The millimeter and sub-mm rotational spectra of several free radicals have been observed for the first time using this instrument, including CaOH, MgOH, CaH, MgF, and BaOH.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Pure rotational spectra of the alkaline-earth monohydroxides have been recorded for vibrationally excited states (0 1 0), (0 2 0), (0 3 0), and (1 0 0) of the ground electronic state (X 2Σ+) using millimeter-wave absorption spectroscopy. The radicals MgOH, CaOH, SrOH, and BaOH were studied. The data for CaOH, SrOH, and BaOH were analyzed with a linear 2Σ+ model, but with the addition of two terms to account for contamination of the v2=1 2Π and v2=2 2Δ vibronic levels with 2Π and 2Δ electronic states. The data for MgOH, however, did not fit well to this linear model and is additional evidence that this species is quasilinear.