The permanent electric dipole moment and hyperfine interaction in ruthenium monoflouride (RuF)

Ruthenium monofluoride, RuF, has been detected using low-resolution laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) in the visible and near infrared spectral regions. A visible band, designated as [18.2]5.5-X 4Phi(9/2), has been recorded field-free and in the presence of a static electric field using high-resolution LIF spectroscopy. The r0 internuclear distances for the [18.2]5.5 and X 4Phi(9/2) states were determined to be 1.911 and 1.916 A, respectively. The vibrational interval DeltaG(1/2) of 534(15) cm-1 for the X 4Phi(9/2) state was determined from the analysis of the dispersed LIF. The Stark shifts of the visible band were analyzed to produce permanent electric dipole moments of 1.97(8) and 5.34(7) D for the [18.2]5.5 and X 4Phi(9/2), states, respectively. The fluorine magnetic hyperfine structure associated with spectral features was analyzed. The hyperfine structure and dipole moments are interpreted using a molecular-orbital correlation model and compared with FeF and other ruthenium-containing molecules.