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Notes: The photofragment kinetic energy spectrum of Ar+3 has been recorded in a crossed-beam apparatus at 532 nm; the only photofragment product observed is Ar+. For the purposes of analysis, a spectrum for the photofragmentation of Ar+2 was recorded under similar experimental conditions. In each case, the ions were prepared by the electron impact ionization of a neutral argon cluster beam. The Ar+3 spectrum consists of two quite distinct features, a high-energy component which closely resembles the result observed for Ar+2, and a second, low-energy feature, which is peculiar to Ar+3 alone. The two high-energy wings appear to arise from a very rapid dissociation process where approximately 70% of the excess energy appears as Ar+ kinetic energy. A computer simulation of this region of the spectrum gives an anisotropy parameter, β, of 1.1±0.2. The low-energy, component to the spectrum arises from a two-step dissociation process, in which a weakly bound atom carries away a relatively large fraction of the available excess energy to leave a quasibound dimer ion. The energetics associated with this latter process can be accounted for using a partitioning scheme proposed by Baer et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 76, 5917 (1982)]. A computer simulation of the low-energy component gives β(approximately-equal-to)0.0. A detailed discussion of the results in terms of electronic structure, photofragmentation dynamics, and allowed electronic transitions, concludes that Ar+3 takes the form of a stable dimer ion and a weakly bound atom, and that it is most probably nonlinear.

Notes: Argon dimer ions have been generated via three different techniques: (1) autoionization; (2) vertical ionization of neutral Ar2; (3) ionization and subsequent fragmentation of argon cluster ions. In experiments (2) and (3) the dimers and clusters are formed via the adiabatic expansion of argon in a supersonic beam. In each case Ar+2 ions have been mass selected and subjected to single-photon infrared excitation (912–1094 cm−1) using a line-tunable carbon dioxide laser in a crossed-beam arrangement. Only those Ar+2 ions with internal energies within 1000 cm−1 of a dissociation limit yield Ar+ photofragments, the kinetic energy spread of which has been measured using an electrostatic analyzer. The photofragment kinetic energy spectra of dimer ions formed by autoionization do not exhibit any dependence on the angle of laser polarization; it is proposed that such behavior is due to the presence of a high thermal rotational temperature (500 K). In contrast, the corresponding spectra of Ar+2 formed via vertical ionization, exhibit two quite distinct features, one of which shows a strong dependence on laser polarization angle. Calculations show that the latter behavior is most probably due to photodissociation out of an excited spin–orbit state of Ar+2. A very pronounced increase in Ar+2 infrared photodissociation signal is observed as a function of increasing nozzle stagnation pressure. To account for such behavior it is proposed that, following ionization, argon cluster ions fragment to give dimer ions in excited vibrational/rotational levels both in the electronic ground and an excited spin–orbit state.

Notes: Metastable Ar+2 (Ar+2 →Ar++Ar) has been observed in a double-focusing mass spectrometer from ions created by 70 eV electron bombardment of an Ar cluster beam. New ground and excited state potential energy curves have been calculated for Ar+2, and these have been used to show that metastability is due to radiative decay from the II(1/2)u state of the ion. It is shown that vertical (FC) ionization from neutral Ar2, with a vibrational temperature of approximately 30 K, results in a significant fraction of the ions occupying the II(1/2)u state. Detailed pressure dependent measurements show that collision-induced dissociation does not contribute to the observed Ar+ signal. The mean kinetic energy released to the Ar+ has been measured as 44 cm−1 in the center-of-mass frame, and calculations show that this value is consistent with the proposed mechanism.

Notes: Following the photoexcitation of argon cluster ions, Ar+n for n in the range 4–25, kinetic energy release measurements have been undertaken on the fragments using two quite separate techniques. For Ar+4–Ar+6, fragment ion kinetic energy spectra were recorded at 532 nm in a crossed beam apparatus as a function of the angle of polarization of the laser radiation with respect to the incident ion beam. Only Ar+ from Ar+4 was observed to exhibit a polarization dependence together with a comparatively high kinetic energy release. The principal fragment ion Ar+2 was found both to emerge with a low kinetic energy release and to display no dependence on the angle of polarization of the radiation. In a second series of experiments, mass and kinetic energy resolved cluster ions were photodissociated in the entrance to a time-of-flight (TOF) device of variable length. The subsequent deflection of all ions allowed for time resolved measurements to be undertaken on the neutral photofragments. Following the absorption of a photon, all cluster ions up to Ar+25 were found to eject one/two neutral atoms with comparatively high kinetic energies. Any remaining internal energy appears to be dissipated through the loss of further neutral atoms with low kinetic energies. An analysis of the laser polarization dependence of these events, shows that those atoms identified as having high kinetic energies are ejected on a time scale which is short compared with the rotation period of a cluster ((approximately-equal-to)10 ps).These experimental observations are consistent with the results of recent molecular dynamics simulations of excited states in rare gas clusters by Landman, Jortner, and co-workers [J. Phys. Chem. 91, 4890 (1987); J. Chem. Phys. 88, 4273 (1988)]. Kinetic energy releases calculated from the TOF spectra exhibit marked fluctuations as a function of cluster size, with Ar+15 showing a minimum and Ar+19 a maximum. It is suggested that such behavior is part of a dynamic response to changes in structure as the cluster ions increase in size. A qualitative explanation is provided through the assumption that the cluster ions take the form of solvated Ar+2 structures. Considerations of the energy available from the photon and the relative contribution each TOF feature makes to the total signal, places an upper limit of two as the number of high kinetic energy atoms ejected by the larger cluster ions.

Notes: A double-focusing mass spectrometer in conjunction with a cluster beam source has been used to measure the average kinetic energy released following the unimolecular and collision-induced fragmentation (CID) of argon cluster ions. Measurements on unimolecular decay have been made for clusters in the range Ar+5–Ar+60, and for the CID studies the range was Ar+2–Ar+30. Within the observation time window, the kinetic energy release results for the loss of a single argon atom via unimolecular decay are consistent with internal energy being partitioned statistically. Three separate CID routes are identified: (i) loss of one Ar atom; (ii) rapid (〈10−7 s) loss of two Ar atoms within the confines of a collision cell; (iii) sequential loss of two Ar atoms on a time scale 〉10−7 s. It is proposed that the CID of small cluster ions proceeds via electronic excitation; but that as the clusters increase in size (n〉4) vibrational excitation predominates. A simple spectator model of collisional excitation accounts for the experimental CID results in cluster ions beyond Ar+15.

Notes: Results are presented of a detailed experimental study of the infrared photofragmentation patterns of size-selected SF6⋅Ar+n cluster ions for n in the range 3 to 70. Line-tuneable CO2 and N2O lasers have been used to excited the ν3 vibrational mode of the SF6 molecule which is followed by the loss of one and two argon atoms as the principal fragmentation routes. Which of the two processes is dominant depends quite strongly on the size of the cluster ion concerned, with very pronounced fluctuations in the relative intensities of photofragments being observed for cluster ions in the range SF6⋅Ar+3 to SF6⋅Ar+25. Only for SF6⋅Ar+3 is the fragmentation pattern markedly different from that found for the other ions; an observation that supports an earlier conclusion regarding the relative ionisation energies of the two constituents [Stace et al. J. Phys. Chem. 97, 11363 (1993)]. A summation of fragment ion intensities as a function of laser wavelength is used to determine infrared absorption profiles and these have been recorded for individual clusters containing up to 70 argon atoms. Clusters containing fewer than 40 argon atoms appear to form single structures, with both the absorption profile shapes and selected hole-burning experiments suggesting that the number of isomers is small.The presence of isomers only appears to become significant when the clusters contain more than 40 argon atoms. The observation of site splittings for the triply degenerate ν3 vibrational mode of SF6, together with the comparatively narrow linewidths seen for clusters containing between 15 and 40 rare gas atoms, indicates the presence of ordered structures. Such a conclusion implies that the clusters are solidlike rather than liquidlike. Overall, the results demonstrate that there is a clear correlation between those criteria previously used to identify the presence of stable cluster ion structures, i.e., mass spectra and unimolecular fragmentation patterns, and the corresponding infrared fragmentation patterns and absorption profiles. Of the ions studied, SF6⋅Ar+21 stands out as being particularly stable and worthy of future theoretical attention. © 1995 American Institute of Physics.

Notes: A detailed study has been undertaken on the infrared photofragmentation of SF6(NO)±n cluster ions. A line-tuneable CO2 laser has been used to excite the ν3 vibrational mode of the SF6 molecule which is followed by the observation of three separate fragmentation channels: –SF6, –NO, and –2NO. The relative intensities of the fragments are found to be sensitive to the sign of the charge on the ion, the cluster size, and whether n is either odd or even. Within clusters of the same charge, the most marked transitions in fragmentation pattern are found between odd- and even-sized cluster ions, with the decay channels favoring those processes which lead to the formation of even electron ions. There are also large differences in fragmentation pattern between the negatively and positively charged ions. A summation of fragment ion intensities as a function of laser wavelength is used to determine infrared absorption profiles and their shapes confirm a pronounced difference in behavior between SF6 (NO)−n and SF6 (NO)+n. The results for the positively charged ions are interpreted in terms of a central (NO)+3 core which serves to fix the position of the SF6 molecule via an attractive ion-induced dipole interaction. In contrast, observations on the negatively charged ions, suggest that the interaction between the excess electron and the SF6 is predominantly repulsive and also sufficiently diffuse as to keep the molecule comparatively mobile even in large cluster ions. It is suggested that the excess electron in SF6 (NO)−n may occupy a surface state and that the state has associated with it approximately 15 NO molecules. © 1994 American Institute of Physics.

Notes: An experimental study of the photofragmentation of Ar3+ at wavelengths 〉650 nm has been undertaken in order to investigate the reaction channel Ar3++hν→Ar2++Ar. As a function of photon energy, measurements have been made of the Ar+/Ar2+ branching ratio and the relative kinetic energy of the photofragments. A steady decline observed for the latter as a function of decreasing photon energy, suggests that the dimer ions emerges from the photodissociation processes with a very high level of internal excitation. Supporting semiclassical calculations of the decay dynamics confirm the trend seen for the Ar+/Ar2+ branching ratio, but do not reproduce the quantitative details. The calculations do, however, provide strong support for an experimental analysis of the energetics of fragmentation, and show that Ar2+ can appear either in the electronic ground state, but with a very high degree of vibrational excitation, or in the weakly bound 2Πg electronic excited state. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.