Submillimeter-wave spectroscopy of VN (X³Δ_r) and VO (X⁴Σ^-): A study of the hyperfine interactions

The pure rotational spectra of VN (X³Δ_r) and VO (X⁴Σ^-) have been recorded in the frequency range 290-520 GHz using direct absorption spectroscopy. These radicals were synthesized in the gas-phase from the reaction of VCl₄ with either N₂ or H₂O in an AC discharge. Seven rotational transitions were recorded for each molecule; in both sets of spectra, fine and hyperfine structures were resolved. The data sets for VN and VO were fit with Hund's case (a) and case (b) Hamiltonians, respectively, and rotational, fine structure, and hyperfine constants determined. For VN, however, an additional hyperfine parameter, Δa, was necessary for the analysis of the Ω = 2 sublevel to account for perturbations from a nearby ¹Δ state, in addition to the usual Frosch and Foley constants. Determination of Δa suggests that the ¹Δ state lies ∼3000 cm^-1 above the ground state. In VO, the hyperfine structure in the F₂ and F₃ components was found to become heavily mixed due to an avoided crossing, predicted by previous optical studies to be near the N = 15 level. The hyperfine constants established for these two molecules are consistent with the proposed σ¹δ¹ and σ¹δ² electron configurations.