Recent research activities have focused on the high-resolution spectroscopy of small gas phase molecules, with particular emphasis on metal-containing radicals, such as CuO, CuCl and AgO. Our experiments are based on Fourier transform emission spectroscopy, with special interest in recording rotationally-resolved molecular electronic transitions. The objective of our research program is to provide many fundamental molecular constants for diatomic metal-hydride, metal-oxide and metal-nitride molecules. The significance of the research is based on the interpretation of the obtained molecular constants, especially as they relate to chemical bonding and molecular reactivities.
Current research activities center on the visible electronic transition of AgCl and the near infrared electronic transitions of NiCl. The visible spectrum of AgCl was observed and recorded for the first time during our experiments, and the analysis of this spectrum is in progress. We chose to work on this molecule because of relatively recent observations of the visible spectrum of AgF (Wang and Gole, 1993).