Photochemical production of KCd excimer bands

The electronically excited KCd 2 2Π state has been populated in a photochemical reaction of K2(C1Πu) with Cd95 1S0). The KCd vapor mixture was prepared in a crossed heat-pipe oven. The atom densities of the K and Cd atoms in the vapor mixture were controlled by preparation of the amalgams with different mole fraction ratios of the relevant components. A new diffuse excimer band was observed in the region from 600 to 660 nm. Quantum mechanical spectral simulations for the KCd 2 2Π → X2Σ+ transition were performed, using potential energy curves calculated by Czuchaj, Rebentrost, Stoll and Preuss and showed good agreement with experiment. Other KCd transitions observed in different experiments are discussed.