Observation of a new electronic state of CO perturbing $\bm {W\,{}^1\Pi (v=1)}$WΠ1(v=1)

We observe photoabsorption of the W(1) ← X(0) band in five carbon monoxide isotopologues with a vacuum-ultraviolet Fourier-transform spectrometer and a synchrotron radiation source. We deduce transition energies, integrated cross sections, and natural linewidths of the observed rotational transitions and find a perturbation affecting these. Following a deperturbation analysis of all five isotopologues, the perturbing state is assigned to the v = 0 level of a previously unobserved 1Π state predicted by ab initio calculations to occur with the correct symmetry and equilibrium internuclear distance. We label this new state E″ 1Π. Both of the interacting levels W(1) and E″(0) are predissociated, leading to dramatic interference effects in their corresponding linewidths.