Molecular beam optical Stark study of rhodium mononitride

The optical Stark effect in the Q(1) and R(0) lines of the [15.1]1-X (1)Sigma+ (1,0) band of rhodium mononitride (RhN) were recorded and analyzed to determine the permanent electric dipole moments mu for the X (1)Sigma+(upsilon=0) and [15.1]1(upsilon=1) states to be 2.43(5) and 1.75(1) D, respectively. The determined dipole moments are compared to predicted values obtained from density functional theory [Stevens et al., Chem. Phys. Lett. 421, 281 (2006)] and an all-electron ab initio calculation [Shim et al., J. Mol. Struct. THEOCHEM 393, 127 (1997)]. A simple single configuration molecular orbital correlation diagram is used to rationalize the relative values of mu for the 4d mononitrides and RhO. An electronic configuration for the [15.1]1 state is proposed based on the interpretation of the (103)Rh and (14)N magnetic hyperfine interactions.