Time resolved photofragmentation of Au $_{n}^{+}$ and Ag $_{n}^{+}$ clusters (n = 9, 21)

Gold and silver cluster ions were produced by laser vaporization and stored in a Penning trap. After mass selection the cluster sizes of interest were illuminated by a laser pulse and electronically excited. Photoabsorption cross sections and fragmentation patterns were measured for photon energies of 2.3 eV to 5.2 eV. Unimolecular dissociation was observed time resolved on a microsecond to millisecond scale. Dissociation energies were deduced from the measured life times.

Fragmentation of gold clusters stored in a penning trap

The collision-induced dissociation of positively charged gold clusters (2 to 23 atoms) stored in a Penning trap has been studied. After collisions with rare gases, excited clusters predominantly decay by emission of one or two atoms. The loss of two atoms occurs most likely through the emission of a dimer rather than a sequential evaporation. The minimum kinetic energies of clusters required to induce dissociation exhibit a pronounced odd-even effect. Clusters with an even number of delocalized electrons are more stable than the odd ones.

Photo fragmentation of metal clusters stored in a penning trap

Photo fragmentation studies of stored mass selected metal cluster ions of a large size range are reported. The experimental method and the data evaluation are described in detail. Gold cluster ions were produced by laser vaporization and stored in a Penning trap. After size selection they were electronically excited by irradiation with a pulsed laser beam. Relaxation by evaporation of neutral atoms and dimers was observed as a function of photon energy. From these data upper and lower limits for dissociation energies are determined for Aun + (n=3 to 23).

DELAYED ELECTRON EMISSION OF NEGATIVELY CHARGED TUNGSTEN CLUSTERS

The delayed electron emission of negatively charged tungsten clusters has been investigated on a time scale from 1 to 500 ms. After being stored in a Penning trap clusters ions [Formula: see text] were heated via multiphoton absorption (hν=1.81 eV). In contrast to alkali and coinage metals no photofragmentation could be detected. Instead, for all cluster sizes studied so far only a decrease in the initial ion intensity as a function of time after excitation was observed. This decrease is not caused by ion loss from the trap, but has to be attributed to neutralization via delayed electron emission. The presented results strongly suggest that this process can be viewed as “thermionic emissio…

ChemInform Abstract: Au+ n-Induced Decomposition of N2O.

Trapped metal cluster ions

An overview is given of experiments with stored metal cluster ions in a Penning trap system. The setup allows axial injection of clusters produced in an external source and a time-of-flight mass analysis of the reaction products after axial ejection. The system's options include the selection of stored ions, the manipulation of their orbits, addition of reactant and buffer gases and axial optical access for laser spectroscopic studies. As described by various examples, investigations have been made with respect to the development of trapping techniques and the characterization of metal clusters in terms of their physical and chemical properties.

Fragmentation pattern of gold clusters collided with xenon atoms

Abstract The dissociation channels of gold cluster ions Au n + (2 ≤ n ≤ 23) have been investigated via collision induced dissociation in a Penning trap. Excited odd cluster ions with n ≤ 15 decay by evaporation of dimers, all others decay by monomer evaporation. Information on the binding energies is deduced from these dissociation channels.

External-ion accumulation in a Penning trap with quadrupole excitation assisted buffer gas cooling

Abstract A pulsed ion beam from an external source is injected into a Penning trap and accumulated by repeatedly lowering during ion capture to prevent the ions already captured from escaping. For the same reason the newly captured ions have to be cooled, which achieved by buffer gas collisions. To prevent radial on loss, the ions are exposed to azimuthal quadrupole excitation. By choosing the appropriate frequency (range) this method (selective quadrupole excitation assisted capture and centering (SQUEACE) allows a mass selection during the capture process and leads to a centering of those ions in the Penning trap. The multiple ion bunch capture results in a significant improvement in sign…

Cluster isobars for high-precision mass spectrometry

Doublet mass measurements of the isobars28Si3 and12C7 are performed by use of a Penning trap mass spectrometer and the Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR). The carbon and silicon cluster ions are produced by laser ablation. Results of these preliminary measurements are presented.

Collision induced dissociation of stored gold cluster ions

The stability of gold cluster ions Au + (2≦n≦23) has been investigated via collision induced dissociation in a Penning trap. Threshold energies and dissociation channels have been determined. The cluster stability exhibits a pronounced odd — even alternation: Clusters with an odd number of atoms,n, are more stable than the even-numbered ones. Enhanced stabilities are found for Au 3 + , Au 9 + , and Au 19 + in accordance with the Clemenger-Nilsson and the deformed jellium model of delocalized valence electrons. Excited odd cluster ions withn≦15 predominantly decay by evaporation of dimers; all others decay by monomer evaporation. From the dissociation channels estimates of the binding energi…

Au n+-induced decomposition of N2O

Reactions between small gold cluster ions, Au, and N2O were studied in a Penning trap mass spectrometer. Gold clusters were produced by laser vaporization and injected into a Penning trap. After reaction times of 50–7000ms the products were detected by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. For the major reaction channel, Au + N2OAu1,2N + NO+, rates of (0.9±0.1)×10−12 cm3 s−1 and (2.4±0.4)×10−12 cm3 s−1 were determined which are about a factor 500 below the collision rate. The corresponding activation energies for N2O decomposition were estimated to lie below 0.6 eV and 0.3 eV. Additional products with small branching ratios were detected, viz. the ions Au1O+, Au1N2O+, Au2N+, Au2NO+, Au2N2O+, Au…