Improved characterization of the A-state of lead monofluoride and measurement of its dipole moment

Lead monofluoride (PbF) is an attractive candidate for measurement of the electric dipole moment of the electron (eEDM) because of its small $g$-factor and its large enhancement factor [1]. In order to measure the eEDM with PbF, broad and accurate knowledge of its spectroscopic constants is needed. Although the ground (X$_1$) state constants are known to 100 kHz precision [2], the excited states have not been as precisely characterized. A promising state for hyperfine optical detection of the X$_1$ state is the A state [3]. Using a time-of-flight detection scheme described in the work, we present new spectroscopic data of isolated $^{208}$Pb$^{19}$F. The analysis of which yields constants of the A state and molecular dipole moments of the X$_1$ and A states to new precision.\\[4pt] [1] N.~Shafer-Ray, Phys. Rev. A {\bf 73}, 034102 (2006).\\[0pt] [2] R.~J. Mawhorter et~al., Phys. Rev. A {\bf 84}, 022508 (2011).\\[0pt] [3] C.~P. McRaven, P.~Sivakumar, N.~E. Shafer-Ray, G.~E. Hall, and T.~J. Sears, J. Mol. Spec. {\bf 262}, 89 (2010).