%0 Journal Article %T Near-infrared LIF spectroscopy of HfF %A Matt Grau %A Aaron E. Leanhardt %A Huanqian Loh %A Laura C. Sinclair %A Russel P. Stutz %A Tyler S. Yahn %A Eric A. Cornell %J Physics %D 2012 %I arXiv %R 10.1016/j.jms.2011.12.006 %X The molecular ion HfF$^+$ is the chosen species for a JILA experiment to measure the electron electric dipole moment (eEDM). Detailed knowledge of the spectrum of HfF is crucial to prepare HfF$^+$ in a state suitable for performing an eEDM measurement\cite{Leanhardt}. We investigated the near-infrared electronic spectrum of HfF using laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) of a supersonic molecular beam. We discovered eight unreported bands, and assign each of them unambiguously, four to vibrational bands belonging to the transition $[13.8]0.5 \leftarrow X1.5$, and four to vibrational bands belonging to the transition $[14.2]1.5 \leftarrow X1.5$. Additionally, we report an improved measurement of vibrational spacing of the ground state, as well as anharmonicity $\omega_e x_e$. %U http://arxiv.org/abs/1201.6647v2