High-resolution electron spin resonance spectroscopy of XeF* in solid argon. The hyperfine structure constants as a probe of relativistic effects in the chemical bonding properties of a heavy noble gas atom.

Xenon fluoride radicals were generated by solid-state chemical reactions of mobile fluorine atoms with xenon atoms trapped in Ar matrix. Highly resolved electron spin resonance spectra of XeF* were obtained in the temperature range of 5-25 K and the anisotropic hyperfine parameters were determined for magnetic nuclei 19F, 129Xe, and 131Xe using naturally occurring and isotopically enriched xenon. Signs of parallel and perpendicular hyperfine components were established from analysis of temperature changes in the spectra and from numerical solutions of the spin Hamiltonian for two nonequivalent magnetic nuclei.