Electronic spectroscopy and relaxation dynamics of OH–Ne and OD–Ne

The structure and dynamics of OH/D–Ne complexes have been probed via studies of the A–X electronic transition. Bands associated with the OH/D 0–0, 1–0, and 2–1 transitions have been rotationally resolved and analyzed. Closely similar progressions of van der Waals vibrational levels were seen in conjunction with each parent transition. In the A state, the observed levels were assigned to the zero point, the–Ne stretch fundamental, and internal rotor-stretch combinations. From this data, the barrier to internal rotation was estimated to be 43 cm−1 and a lower limit of D′0>68 cm−1 was established for the OH/D(A)–Ne bond. Predissociation of OH/D(A,v=1,2)–Ne has been characterized by time- and wavelength-resolved fluorescence measurements. Vibrational predissociation rates were found to be in the range of (2–6)×105 s−1. Fragment OH/D(A,v=0) rotational distributions indicated that vibration–rotation transfer was the primary decay channel. Electronic predissociation of OH(A,v=2)–Ne was observed. The rate for this process was found to be dependent on the average position of the Ne atom.