a New High Resolution Infrared Fourier Spectrometer and its Use in the Study of the Molecular Parameters of Hydrogen Peroxide

A new high resolution Fourier transform interferometer has been constructed for the study of infrared molecular spectra. The instrument is capable of producing high quality spectra with an unapodized resolution of.004 cm ^{-1} for the wavenumber range 2000 to 10000 cm^{-1}. Described here are the details of construction and operating procedures for this instrument as well as the data collection, control and analysis software written specifically for it. The new FTS instrument has been used to measure the torsion-rotation absorption spectrum of the O-H stretch vibration in gaseous hydrogen peroxide. Over 3000 line assignments have been made, including many arising from torsional "hot band" transitions. Many new assignments have been made for the weak n = 0to1 bands and assignments for the very weak n = 1to 2 bands are reported for the first time. These new data have been used to determine the torsion-rotation energy levels and inertial constants for each of the five lowest torsion states of the excited antisymmetric O-H stretch. The shape of the potential curve was estimated from these using a semi-rigid rotor model; the limitations of the model are examined.