Electronic spectroscopy of silver dimer rare gas complexes.

Vibrationally resolved electronic spectra are reported for the metal dimer-rare gas complexes Ag2–Ar and Ag2–Kr. These spectra are obtained using resonant two-photon photoionization in the energy region near the Ag2 B←X electronic transition (280–285 nm). Both complexes exhibit extensive activity in three vibrational modes, making it possible to determine vibrational constants, anharmonicities, and cross-mode couplings. An unusual cancellation of factors results in the Kr complex (ω’e =72.6 cm-1) having nearly the same metal-rare gas stretching frequency as the Ar complex (ωe=73.9 cm-1). Progressions extending over a significant range of the excited state potential surfaces make it possible to derive the excited state dissociation energies (D’0=755 and 1205 cm-1 for Ar and Kr, respectively). Combination with the red-shifted electronic state origins yields the corresponding ground state dissociation energies (D[larger_closed_square]0=275 and 394 cm-1 for Ar and Kr, respectively). Potential energy surfaces are investigated for excited and ground states of both complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]