Millimeter- and submillimeter-wave spectroscopy of AuF in the ground X1Σ+ state

The millimeter- and submillimeter-wave spectrum of AuF in the X1Σ+ state was observed by employing a source-modulated microwave spectrometer. The AuF molecule was generated in a free space cell by the sputtering reaction from a gold sheet lining the inner surface of a stainless steel cathode using a dc glow plasma of CF4 and Ar. Rotational transitions in the highly excited vibrational states enabled to determine Dunham-type molecular constants by a least-squares fit. Other constants like dissociation energy De, vibrational wavenumber ωe and its anharmonic term ωexe were also derived from the obtained constants.