High-resolution stimulated Raman gain spectrum of the ν1 band of SF 6

We report rotationally resolved stimulated Raman gain spectra of the ν₁ band of SF ₆. The fundamental band exhibits a rigid-rotor type spectrum that is readily fit with a band origin of ∆ α = 774.5445 and a single rotational term ∆ β = -1.10376 × 10 ^-4 cm ^-1. We also observed and analyzed the ν₁ + ν₆ hotband with band origin at 774.1820 cm ^-1. With an experimental resolution of 0.0024 cm ^-1 there is no evidence for centrifugal distortion or tensor splitting in either band, although the ν₁ + ν₆ band does exhibit first-order Coriolis splitting as expected.