Laser-excitation and dispersed fluorescence spectra of the CF3CO radical are reported. The 0-0 band of the Ã-[Xtilde] transition lies at 26 023 cm-1(384·28 nm). The spectra are characterized by a prominent progression involving the CO stretching mode. The fundamental CO stretching frequency in the ground state is 1525 cm-1and compares well with the CO stretching mode of 1574 cm-1observed for CF3CO by Kozuka and Isobe. The CO stretching mode of the excited state is reported as 818 cm-1. The radiative lifetime of the excited state is 0·34 ± 0·01 μs. The argon quenching rate constant for the excited state is determined as (6·0 ± 0·20) × 105Torr-1s-1. The CF3CO radical is found in the infrared multiphoton dissociation of CF3C(O)Cl, as well as in the CF3+ CO reaction.