The X3Σ− ground state of WO

The WO molecule was formed as an impurity during the excitation of a mixture of WCl6 vapor and He in a microwave discharge lamp. The emission spectra were recorded using a high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometer. A rotational analysis of the strong bands in the 9000–25 000 cm−1 interval has been carried out and the bands have been classified into two groups with different lower states. The two lower states have been assigned as the Ω=0+ and Ω=1 spin components of the X3Σ− ground state. Ab initio calculations have also been performed and they confirm our experimental assignments.