Abstract
The diatomic molecule tantalum hydride (TaH) and its isotopologue tantalum deuteride (TaD) have been detected for the first time by laser excitation spectroscopy. The gas-phase molecules were produced in a hollow cathode discharge. Two red-degraded bands, one arising from TaH at 636 nm and the other from TaD at 635 nm, have been recorded at sub-Doppler resolution by intermodulated fluorescence spectroscopy. A rotational analysis shows that both bands are Ω = 2←2 in character, with well-resolved Ω-doubling in the upper state of TaH. Analysis of the 181Ta magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole hyperfine structure reveals that the lower X3Φ2 electronic state of the two transitions arises from a σ2πδ electronic configuration, in agreement with previous theoretical calculations. The bond length in the TaH X3Φ2 (v = 0) level is found to be 1.756960(4) Å.
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