FULLDIBS

The recent detection in the interstellar medium of the C60 fullerene in its neutral form has tremendously re-launched the involvement of fullerenes as potential carriers of the mysterious diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs). In 2015, four near-infrared DIBs were attributed to the C60+ cation, confirming the role of fullerenes as DIBs carriers. The “FULLDIBS” project aims at producing laboratory spectra of C60 and C70 in the gas phase, from the mid infrared to the visible range. This project relies on high-density and low-temperarture uniform supersonic flows to relax the molecules on their fundamental vibrational state. These low temperature flows will be probed using the most up-to-date ultra-sensitive spectroscopic techniques based on high-finesse optical cavities. The produced spectral signatures will be systematically compared to the DIBs of the interstellar medium.