Electronic structure of diatomic boron carbide

Abstract

Products of simultaneous laser vaporization of boron and carbon solids are trapped in solid neon at 6 K and absorption and laser-induced emission bands due to diatomic BC are observed through Fourier-transform spectroscopy. The vibrational constants for five of its low-lying states, (X⁴Σ^-, A⁴Π, B⁴Σ^-, a²Π and d²Σ⁺) are reported for the first time,and the results compared with the thorough theoretical calculations of Hirsch and Buenker.