Rotational Analysis of the Spectra of SbH and SbD

The A 3 Π i - X 3 Σ - transitions have been studied in SbH and SbD. The spectra were obtained after flash photolysis of stibine and deuterostibine. The ground state is separated into two sub-states and is described in terms of Hund's coupling case (c). The splitting between the X 0 + and X 1 sub-states is 660 cm -1 . The upper state 3 Π i is predissociated and only the 3 Π 0 + substate show rotational structure (but a few levels in 3 Π 2 of SbD). A second upper state B 0 + and a third upper state C 0 + , only observed in SbD, causes perturbations to the 3 Π 0 + sub-state. Molecular constants have been derived where possible.