Photodetachment microscopy of the P, Q, and R branches of the OH(-)(v=0) to OH(v=0) detachment threshold.

A photodetachment experiment is performed on the v=0-->v=0 OH(-) detachment threshold. The weak O and S branches provide a signal strong enough to make amplitude measurements on all five O, P, Q, R, and S branches possible, which are used to fix the formulas for their relative intensities. Photodetachment microscopy is applied to 15 different thresholds of the P, Q, and R branches. The quantitative analysis of the interference patterns obtained does not show any effect of the dipole moment of OH, but yields a new measurement of the rotational parameters of OH(-)(v=0) and of the electron affinity of the molecule. The new recommended value for the electron affinity of (16)O(1)H is 14 740.982(7) cm(-1) or 1.827 648 7(11) eV.

Molecular photodetachment microscopy.

The photodetachment microscopy technique, which was originally used with atomic negative ions, is now applied to a molecular anion. The interferograms of several rotational thresholds corresponding to transitions from OH- X (1)Sigma(+) v=0 states to OH X (2)Pi(3/2,1/2) v=0 states have been recorded. No effect due to the 1/r(2) dipolar potential of the neutral molecule appears. Using a double-pass scheme of the laser on the negative ion beam, we measure the energy of the first few detachment thresholds with improved accuracy. The new recommended value of the electron affinity of 16OH is 14,740.996(13) cm(-1), or 1.827 650 3(17) eV.