The (1)(3)Pi Electronic State of LaF

Rotational studies of bands of the infrared systems (1)(3)Pi-->(1)(3)Delta and (1)(3)Pi(1)-->X(1)Sigma(+) of lanthanum monofluoride were carried out with the aim of characterizing the (1)(3)Pi state, assuming the previous representations of X(1)Sigma(+) and (1)(3)Delta (1-3). The vibrational levels of (1)(3)Pi involved in the analyzed transitions were v=0, 1, 2 of the Omega=0 component, v=0, 1 of the Omega=1 component, and v=0 of the Omega=2 component. Perturbations were observed in both systems which were ascribed to spin-uncoupling interactions between (1)(3)Pi(2)(v=0) and (1)(3)Pi(1)(v=1) levels. A 9x9 matrix representation at equilibrium of the complex of interacting levels (v=0, 1, 2) was constructed, each diagonal v-block corresponding to a triplet model of the rovibrational (3)Pi Hamiltonian. The wavenumbers of some 1910 lines in the two systems were simultaneously fitted (rms error of the fit of about 0.0053 cm(-1)), thus yielding a consistent set of accurate spectroscopic constants for the (1)(3)Pi state; the spin-uncoupling interaction parameter was determined as B(Pi)(0, 1)=0.010917(13) cm(-1). Copyright 2001 Academic Press.