Using the radiation of several ion laser lines and of a tunable dye laser, the first gas phase spectra of the MgCa molecule have been obtained. The laser induced fluorescence spectra have been assigned to the A 1Σ+–X 1Σ+, B 1Π–X 1Σ+, and the C 1Σ+–X 1Σ+ systems. The quantum numbers of the levels belonging to the X 1Σ+ ground state were determined using a quantum mechanical, variational method. The vibrational quantum numbers of the excited levels and the assignment to the different electronic states were obtained from a comparison of the measured and calculated Franck–Condon factors which are in very good agreement.
Using the radiation of several ion laser lines and of a tunable dye laser, the first gas phase spectra of the MgCa molecule have been obtained. The laser induced fluorescence spectra have been assigned to the A 1Σ+–X 1Σ+, B 1Π–X 1Σ+, and the C 1Σ+–X 1Σ+ systems. The quantum numbers of the levels belonging to the X 1Σ+ ground state were determined using a quantum mechanical, variational method. The vibrational quantum numbers of the excited levels and the assignment to the different electronic states were obtained from a comparison of the measured and calculated Franck–Condon factors which are in very good agreement.