Photoionization spectroscopy of LiMg

We report the first electronic spectroscopy for the metal diatomic LiMg. Two electronic band systems near 330 nm are measured with resonant photoionization spectroscopy. Both systems correlate to the 2s–3p (2P ← 2S) transition of lithium. 11 bands are observed for the weak E ← X and F ← X transitions originating from the ν″ = 0 ground state vibrational level. Vibronic hotbands reveal the ground state vibrational frequency (ωe″) of 190 cm−1, and extrapolation of the ground state levels yields the dissociation energy of D0″ = 1330 cm−1 (0.165 eV; 3.8 kcal/mol).