Synchrotron radiation study of the molecular xenon fluorescence around 2000 Å

Time-gated fluorescence spectra have been obtained in xenon excited by synchrotron radiation around the first resonance line. Evidence of the emission from the left turning point of the Xe2 excited Ou+ (3P1) potential curve is obtained between 2000 and 2100 Å for different excitation wavelengths. From our results, we propose an experimental potential curve for the Ou+ state with an equilibrium distance Re of 3.25 Å and a well depth De of 5000 cm−1. Franck–Condon factors have been calculated with this curve for the bound–free transitions between different vibrational levels of the Ou+ excited state and the Og+ ground state. They are in excellent agreement with experiment.