The nuclear quadrupole moment of N-14 obtained from finite-element MCHF calculations on N2+ (2P; P-2(3/2)) and N+(2p(2); P-3(2) and 2p(2); D-1(2))

The electric field gradient at the nucleus is evaluated for the title systems using finite-element multiconfiguration Hartree-Fock (MCHF) expansions as electronic wavefunctions. The new nuclear quadrupole moment for N-14 (Q(N-14)) from N2+ 2p; P-2(3/2) is 20.44(3) mb, an order-of-magnitude improvement in accuracy over the previous standard value of 20.2(3) mb from N+ 2p3p; P-1(1). The present Q(N-14) is supported by the N+ 2p(2); P-3(2) and 2p(2); D-1(2) values Of 20.45(6) mb and 20.48(8) mb.