Microwave Fourier transform spectroscopy of magnesium sulfide produced by laser ablation

The pure rotational spectrum of magnesium sulfide has been measured with a cavity pulsed microwave Fourier transform (MWFT) spectrometer, as a test of a new laser ablation source. The J = 1-0 transition near 16 GHz has been measured for 4 isotopomers in the ground vibrational slate, as well as for the main isotopomer, (MgS)-Mg-24-S-32, in the first excited vibrational state. Mg-25 nuclear hyperfine structure has been observed and the nuclear quadrupole coupling constant, eQq(Mg-25), has been determined. A value for the equilibrium bond length has been obtained. (C) 1997 Academic Press.