High-resolution spectroscopy of buffer-gas-cooled phthalocyanine

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that buffer-gas cooling enables high-resolution rovibronic spectroscopy of large molecules like phthalocyanine, advancing quantum property analysis of complex systems.

Contribution

First application of buffer-gas cooling to large molecules, enabling high-resolution spectroscopy of phthalocyanine and guiding quantum chemical calculations.

Findings

Buffer-gas cooling is effective for large molecules.

High-resolution spectroscopy of phthalocyanine was achieved.

Results aid understanding of quantum properties of complex molecules.

Abstract

For over five decades, studies in the field of chemical physics and physical chemistry have primarily aimed to understand the quantum properties of molecules. However, high-resolution rovibronic spectroscopy has been limited to relatively small and simple systems because translationally and rotationally cold samples have not been prepared in sufficiently large quantities for large and complex systems. In this study, we present high-resolution rovibronic spectroscopy results for large gas-phase molecules, namely, free-base phthalocyanine (FBPc). The findings suggest that buffer-gas cooling may be effective for large molecules introduced via laser ablation. High-resolution electronic spectroscopy, combined with other experimental and theoretical studies, will be useful in understanding the quantum properties of molecules. These findings also serve as a guide for quantum chemical calculations of large molecules.