High-Resolution Photoelectron Imaging and Photodetachment Spectroscopy of Cryogenically Cooled IO

We report a high-resolution photoelectron imaging and photodetachment spectroscopy study of cryogenically cooled IO–. The high-resolution photoelectron spectra yield a more accurate electron affinity (EA) of 2.3805(5) eV for IO as well as a more accurate spin–orbit splitting energy between the 2Π3/2 and 2Π1/2 states of IO as 2093(5) cm–1. Photodetachment spectroscopy confirmed several excited states for the IO– anion predicted by theoretical calculations, including two valence-type excited states, the repulsive 3Π state, and a shallow bound 1Π state. More interestingly, we have observed two vibrational resonances which are proposed to be due to a dipole-induced resonant state, about 230 cm–1 above the detachment threshold of IO–.