Eur. Phys. J. D 52, 187-190 (2009)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2008-00290-0

Gold dimer in neon: an absorption and fluorescence study

Institut de Physique des Nanostructures, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

Corresponding author: ^a sylvain.lecoultre@epfl.ch

Received: 19 September 2008
Published online: 24 January 2009

Abstract

We report for the first time the absorption and fluorescence spectra of gold dimers in a neon matrix. The dimer absorption spectra show the A ← X transition predicted from measurements in the gas phase and not observed so far in a matrix, as well as the so-called B ← X and C ← X transitions. Fluorescence measurements on the atom reveal new emission lines at 1.97, 3.59 and 4.09 eV that can be assigned to the ²P_1/2 → ²D_3/2, ²P_1/2 → ²D_5/2 and the ²P_3/2 → ²D_5/2 transitions. For the dimer, excitation of both A and B state results in distinct emission spectra with vibrational structure.