VUV Fourier-transform absorption study of the Lyman and Werner bands in D2

An extensive survey of the D-2 absorption spectrum has been performed with the high-resolution VUV Fourier-transform spectrometer employing synchrotron radiation. The frequency range of 90 000-119 000 cm (1) covers the full depth of the potential wells of the B (1)Sigma(+)(u), B' 1 Sigma(+)(u), and C (1)Pi(u) electronic states up to the D(1s) + D(2l) dissociation limit. Improved level energies of rovibrational levels have been determined up to respectively upsilon = 51, upsilon = 13, and upsilon = 20. Highest resolution is achieved by probing absorption in a molecular gas jet with slit geometry, as well as in a liquid helium cooled static gas cell, resulting in line widths of approximate to 0.35 cm (1). Extended calibration methods are employed to extract line positions of D-2 lines at absolute accuracies of 0.03 cm(-1). The D (1)Pi(u) and B '' (1)Sigma(+)(u) electronic states correlate with the D(1s) + D(3l) dissociation limit, but support a few vibrational levels below the second dissociation limit, respectively, upsilon = 0-3 and upsilon = 0-1, and are also included in the presented study. The complete set of resulting level energies is the most comprehensive and accurate data set for D-2. The observations are compared with previous studies, both experimental and theoretical. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4726457]