Structures of vibrational absorption bands of the SiF₄ molecule in a low-temperature nitrogen matrix

Abstract

We have studied the IR absorption spectra of diluted mixtures SiF₄/M = 1/6000–1/10 000 in an N₂ matrix at 11 K (for comparison, the spectra of SiF₄ in Ar and Xe matrices have also been studied). It has been shown that, in solid nitrogen, the appearance of doublets is observed both in the range of the ν₃ band of the SiF₄ (²⁸SiF, ²⁹SiF₄, and ³⁰SiF₄) isotopologues of the SiF₄ molecule and in the range of the ν₁ + ν₄, ν₂ + ν₃, and ν₁ + ν₃ bands of ²⁸SiF₄, whereas, in the range of the 2ν₃ band of ²⁸SiF, a triplet appears. In order to analyze the influence of the matrix on the spectrum of free SiF₄ molecules, we have used a model that makes it possible to successively calculate (i) the spectrum of SiF₄ in terms of the model of local modes, (ii) the structure of a matrix composed by 864 N₂ molecules + a rigid SiF₄ molecule using the Monte Carlo method, and (iii) the interaction of matrix particles with local dipole moments in the approximation of dipole-induced dipole and dipole-quadrupole interactions. The model describes satisfactorily the low-frequency shift of bands in the nitrogen matrix. All obtained experimental and theoretical results are consistent with the assumption that two kinds of stable trapping centers of SiF₄ molecules obeying the T _d symmetry are realized in the nitrogen matrix.