Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Experimental Methods for Trapping Ions Using Microfabricated Surface Ion Traps
Published on: August 17, 2017
FTIR identification of the nu4(sigmau) and nu6(piu) modes of linear GeC3Ge trapped in solid Ar
Eric Gonzalez1, C M L Rittby, W R M Graham
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas 76129, USA.
Abstract:
GeC 3Ge was previously (1) produced by the dual laser ablation of germanium and carbon rods, and the nu 3(sigma u) carbon-carbon stretching fundamental was assigned at 1920.7 cm (-1). This paper presents results from new experiments that have enhanced the production of the molecule via laser ablation of a single sintered germanium-carbon rod, thus enabling the identification of two additional infrared active vibrational fundamentals. Ge participates strongly in one of these, the nu 4(sigma u) mode, and the corresponding Ge isotopic shifts reported here are the first for a germanium-carbon species. GeC 3Ge was produced by trapping the products from the laser evaporation of the Ge-C rod, in solid Ar at approximately 10 K, and recording the FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectra. Comparison of (70,72,73,74,76)Ge and (13)C isotopic shift measurements with the predictions of density functional theory calculations (DFT) at the B3LYP/cc-pVDZ level confirms the identification of the nu 4(sigma u) stretching fundamental at 735.3 cm (-1) and the nu 6(pi u) bending fundamental at 580.1 cm (-1) for linear GeC 3Ge.
Related Concept Videos
UV–Vis Spectroscopy: Molecular Electronic Transitions
IR Spectroscopy: Molecular Vibration Overview
Stretching vibrations are vibrational motions that occur along the bond line, changing the bond length or distance between two bonded atoms. They are further distinguished as symmetric or asymmetric. In symmetric stretching, the...
¹H NMR: Interpreting Distorted and Overlapping Signals
As Δν decreases and the signals move closer, the doublets appear increasingly distorted. The intensities of the inner lines increase at the cost of those of the outer lines as the signals are slanted or...
IR Spectrum Peak Splitting: Symmetric vs Asymmetric Vibrations
π Electron Effects on Chemical Shift: Aromatic and Antiaromatic Compounds
IR Frequency Region: X–H Stretching

