Studies of the electronic states of the BaF molecule

Laser-excited fluorescence and thermal emission spectra, recorded at high resolution by Fourier-transform spectrometry, have been analysed to yield new information about the ground-state, X2Σ+, and six of the lowest-lying electronic states of BaF. In the present paper we give values of the effective constants for X2Σ+, A′2Δ, A 2Π, B 2Σ+, C 2Π, D 2Σ+ and F 2Π derived from an overall simultaneous fit to some 6470 lines assigned to rotational structure of 24 bands of 10 systems. Existing analyses are confirmed and extended, and a rotational analysis of levels of the state C 2Π is given for the first time: the spin-orbit coupling constant in this state is found to increase unexpectedly rapidly with increasing v. The states A′2Δ, A 2Π and B 2Σ+ interact strongly, and their mutual deperturbation, and the determination of their interaction constants form the subject of the following paper (Part II).