Photoionization spectroscopy of AgLi

An electronic spectrum is observed for the heteronuclear metal dimer, AgLi, with resonant two-photon ionization. The dimer is produced in a pulsed supersonic molecular beam by laser vaporization of a silver rod containing lithium as an impurity. The electronic state origin is near 304 nm, where an extensive vibrational progression (ωe′ = 247.8 cm−1) is observed. ‘Hot bands’ originating from excited vibrational levels in the ground electronic state allow calculation of the spectroscopic constants for this state (ωe′′ = 389.0 cm−1). The bonding in AgLi is stronger than that in either Ag2 or Li2.