Photoionization bands of rubidium molecule

We studied the absorption spectrum of dense rubidium vapor generated in a T-type sapphire cell with a special emphasis on the structured photoionization continuum observed in the 200-300 nm spectral region. The photoionization spectrum has a continuous atomic contribution with a pronounced Seaton-Cooper minimum at about 250 nm and a molecular photoionization contribution with many broad bands. We discuss the possible origin of the photoionization bands as stemming from the absorption from the ground state of the Rb2 molecule to excited states of Rb2+* and to doubly excited autoionizing states of Rb2** molecule. All these photoionization bands are located above the Rb+ and Rb2+ ionization limits.