High Resolution Gas Phase IR Spectroscopy Applications

High-resolution IR spectroscopy is confined to the study of atoms and molecules in the gas phase at low pressures, where the interaction energy between particles is orders of magnitude lower than in the condensed phases. The intermolecular interactions broaden the energy levels, and, consequently, the spectral lines, preventing the observation of finer details in the spectra. The main applications covered in this chapter are the accurate determination of rotation and rotation-vibration molecular energies; the determination of the molecular geometry of simple molecules; the evaluation of force field and of the vibration- and rotation-vibration interactions; the measurement of pressure broadening and pressure shift of the spectral lines; the determination of electric dipole moments via laser-Stark spectroscopy; the studies of intramolecular dynamics; the calculation of rate constants, equilibrium constants and other thermodynamic data; the evaluation of relaxation times.