Term Symbols and Molecular Spectroscopy

Atomic Term Symbols - Oxygen

ground state: (1s)2 (2s)2 (2p)4

+1
2

excited state: (1s) (2s) (2p)

L
0
1
2
3
Term S
P
D
F
L = ML,max = +1+1+ 0 -1 = 1 3P

-1
L = ML,max = +1+1+ 0 +0 = 2 1D

+1

-1

Homonuclear Diatomics* O2 ground state: KK (g,2s)2(*u ,2s)2(g,2pz)2(u,2p)4(*g ,2p)2

u
g
u
g

= +1+1-1-1+1-1 = 0

= +1+1-1-1+1+1 = 2

3 -

= +1+1-1-1+1-1 = 0
1 +

(g,2pz)2(u,2p)3(*g ,2p)3

= +1+1-1+1-1-1 = 0
3 +

(g,2pz)1(u,2p)4(*g ,2p)3

= +1+1-1+1+1-1 = 2

3 -

u + u + 3u

70000

O( 3P) + O( 1D)

8-

60000

3
u

50000

6 O( 3P) + O(3 P)

40000

3 +
u

(cm-1)

4 -

30000

eV
20000

1 +
g
1
g
3
g

10000

0
0.5

1.5

2 -

2.5

3.5

R ()

* Configuration diagrams are schematic. No single diagram can represent an open shell system.
These diagrams do not take into account electron indistinguishability and orbital degeneracy.