Absorption measurements in dense cesium vapor using a UV–violet light-emitting diode

We present results of absorption measurements in a dense superheated cesium vapor generated in an all-sapphire cell using a UV–violet light-emitting diode as a continuum source. Due to the very effective thermal destruction of Cs2 molecules, a number of diffuse and satellite bands appear around higher members of cesium principal series lines, which are not easily visible in saturated cesium vapor. From the temperature dependence of the diffuse features we can distinguish short-range singlet transitions from temperature-independent spectral features that stem either from a shallow lowest triplet state or from the long-range photo association spectra of triplet or singlet Cs2 molecules. The limits of the present interpretation of the observed bands in the UV–violet spectral region are discussed.