Ultraviolet photodissociation of Mg+-NO complex: Ion imaging of a reaction branching in the excited states.

Ultraviolet photodissociation processes of gas phase Mg+-NO complex were studied by photofragment ion imaging experiments and theoretical calculations for excited electronic states. At 355 nm excitation, both Mg+ and NO+ photofragment ions were observed with positive anisotropy parameters, and theoretical calculations revealed that the two dissociation channels originate from an electronic transition from a bonding orbital consisting of Mg+ 3s and NO π* orbitals to an antibonding counterpart. For the NO+ channel, the photofragment image exhibited a high anisotropy (ß = 1.53 ± 0.07), and a relatively large fraction (∼40%) of the available energy was partitioned into translational energy. These observations are rationalized by proposing a rapid dissociation process on a repulsive potential energy surface correlated to the Mg(1S) + NO+(1Σ) dissociation limit. In contrast, for the Mg+ channel, the angular distribution was more isotropic (ß = 0.48 ± 0.03) and only ∼25% of the available energy was released into translational energy. The differences in the recoil distribution for these competing channels imply a reaction branching on the excited state surface. On the theoretical potential surface of the excited state, we found a deep well facilitating an isomerization from bent geometry in the Franck-Condon region to linear and/or T-shaped isomer. As a result, the Mg+ fragment was formed via the structural change followed by further relaxation to lower electronic states correlated to the Mg+(2S) + NO(2Π) exit channel.

Structural assignments of yttrium oxide cluster cations studied by ion mobility mass spectrometry.

The geometric structures of yttrium oxide cluster ions, YnOm+ (n = 3-11), were experimentally assigned for stable compositions by ion mobility mass spectrometry combined with theoretical calculations. The stable compositions were firstly determined by collision induced dissociation experiments in mass spectrometry as YO(Y2O3)x+ and YO2(Y2O3)x+ for odd numbers of Y atoms (n = 2x + 1) and (Y2O3)x+ and O(Y2O3)x+ for even numbers of Y atoms (n = 2x). The structures of the ions with the above compositions were assigned by comparing the collision cross sections obtained in the ion mobility measurement with those obtained by theoretical calculations. The assigned structures have the following two characteristic features. Firstly, metal-metal or oxygen-oxygen bonds were rarely observed, and most of the oxygen atoms bridge two Y atoms, which is due to the ionic bonding nature between Y3+ and O2- ions. Secondly, common Y-atom frameworks were obtained for the ions with the same number of Y atoms n. For example, for the clusters with even numbers of Y atoms, one atomic oxygen radical anion (O-) in the most stable structures of (Y2O3)x+ was replaced with a superoxide ion (O2-) to form the most stable structures of O(Y2O3)x+ ions, keeping the Y-atom framework geometries.

Geometrical Structures of Gas-Phase Cerium Oxide Cluster Cations after Reaction with Nitric Oxide Studied by Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry.

Cerium oxide cluster cations were reacted with nitric oxide molecules and then measured by ion mobility mass spectrometry (IMMS). CenO2n+1N+ species appeared as products of the reaction CenO2n+ + NO → CenO2n+1N+, and their collision cross sections (CCSs) with helium were obtained by IMMS. The experimental CCSs of CenO2n+1N+ were 2-6 Å2 larger than those of CenO2n+ for n = 4-10. Geometrical structures of Ce4O9N+ and Ce5O11N+ were assigned by comparing experimental CCSs with theoretically calculated CCSs of candidate structures. The suggested structures showed that the adsorbed NO molecule is oxidized by the CenO2n+ cluster into a nitrite (NO2-) or nitrate (NO3-). The CenO2n+1N+ species are regarded as intermediates of the NO oxidation reaction CenO2n+ + NO → CenO2n-1+ + NO2, and therefore, the present results are helpful for understanding redox reactions involving gas-phase CenO2n+ cluster ions.

Sequential growth of iridium cluster anions based on simple cubic packing.

Geometric structures of free iridium cluster anions, Irn-, were examined by means of ion mobility mass spectrometry and density functional theory calculation for n = 3-15 with the additional help of photoelectron spectroscopy for n = 4-10. It has been revealed that Irn- clusters with n ≥ 5 favor a square facet and take a cubic motif in contrast to the face-centered cubic structures in the corresponding nanoparticles and bulk. A growth sequence of Irn- for n = 5-15 is proposed: single Ir atoms are sequentially attached to one side of the square plane of Ir4- to form a cubic Ir8-, and are then continuously attached on one of the square facets of Ir8- for n = 9-12 and Ir12- for n = 13-15.

Photodissociation processes of a water-oxygen complex cation studied by an ion imaging technique.

Photochemistry of molecular complex ions in the atmosphere affects the composition, density, and growth of chemical species. Photodissociation processes of a mass-selected O2+(H2O) complex ion in the visible and ultraviolet regions were studied by ion imaging experiments and theoretical calculations. At 473 nm excitation, O2+ was the predominant photofragment ion produced. In this O2+ channel, the kinetic energy release was comparable to that estimated using a statistical dissociation model, and the anisotropy parameter was determined to be ß = 1.0 ± 0.1. On the other hand, the H2O+ photofragment ion was mainly produced at 355 nm excitation. The kinetic energy release for the H2O+ channel was large and nonstatistical, and the anisotropy parameter was ß = 1.9 ± 0.2. Theoretically, the 473 and 355 nm excitations were assigned to the B[combining tilde]2A''← X[combining tilde]2A'' and D[combining tilde]2A''← X[combining tilde]2A'' transitions, respectively, both of which were characterized by positive charge transfer from O2 to H2O subunits. To further investigate the dissociation mechanisms, potential energy curves (PECs) and surfaces (PESs) for the O2+(H2O) ion were calculated for the ground and excited states. As a result, the H2O+ channel at 355 nm excitation was explained by rapid dissociation on the repulsive PES of the D[combining tilde] state, while rapid electronic relaxation from the B[combining tilde] to X[combining tilde] state followed by dissociation in the ground state was inferred in the O2+ channel at 473 nm excitation.

Structures of Magnesium Oxide Cluster Cations Studied Using Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry.

Structural assignments of gas-phase magnesium oxide cluster cations, MgnOn+ (n ≤ 24), have been achieved from a comparison of experimental collision cross sections (CCSs) measured using ion mobility mass spectrometry and theoretical CCSs calculated for equilibrium structures optimized by quantum chemical calculations. Various structures based on rock-salt and hexagonal-tube structures were assigned for n = 5-13 and 15. On the other hand, only rock-salt type structures were assigned for n = 4, 14, 16-21, and 24. The CCS values and the total energies were close for the hexagonal-tube and rock-salt structures of a given size in the small size range (n ≤ 15 except for 4 and 14). The hexagonal-tube structures of the cluster ions with n ≥ 16 were less stable and had larger CCSs than the rock-salt structures. These results indicate that the structures of the MgnOn+ clusters were changed from mixtures of rock-salt and hexagonal-tube structures to pure rock-salt structures with the growth of the cluster size. All atoms in the hexagonal-tube structures are located on the surface of the clusters, even if the cluster size increases. In contrast, the assigned rock-salt structures with n = 13, 14, and n ≥ 17 had atoms inside the clusters, which means that the average coordination numbers are substantially higher for the rock-salt structures than for the hexagonal tube structures. The structural change from the mixed structures to pure rock-salt with an increase in size n can be attributed to this difference in the coordination number.

Visible photodissociation of the CO2 dimer cation: fast and slow dissociation dynamics in the excited state.

Velocity and angular distributions of photofragment CO2+ ions produced from mass-selected (CO2)2+ at 532 nm excitation were observed in an ion imaging experiment. The velocity distribution was assigned to two components, fast and slow velocity components, which was consistent with the previous study by Bowers et al. The anisotropy parameters of the angular distributions for the fast and slow velocity components were experimentally determined to be ßfast = 1.52 ± 0.14 and ßslow = 0.46 ± 0.10, respectively. In the theoretical approach, potential energy surfaces (PESs) of (CO2)2+ were calculated along two coordinates, the intermolecular distance and mutual orientations of the CO2 monomers. In addition, molecular dynamics simulations were performed. The visible transition of the most stable staggered structure of (CO2)2+ was attributed to C[combining tilde]2Ag ← X[combining tilde]2Bu by an excited state calculation. On the PES of the C[combining tilde] state, a potential well was found in which the two CO2 monomers lay side by side to each other, in addition to a repulsive slope along the intermolecular distance. The results of the simulations confirmed that the fragment CO2+ ions with fast velocity and large anisotropy originated from the rapid dissociation of (CO2)2+ on the repulsive slope. Meanwhile, the fragment CO2+ ions with slow velocity and small anisotropy were expected to emerge from statistical dissociation after large amplitude libration of CO2 molecules which was caused by the potential well in the excited state PES.

Ion Imaging of MgI+ Photofragment in Ultraviolet Photodissociation of Mass-Selected Mg+ICH3 Complex.

We have observed images of MgI+ fragment ions produced in ultraviolet laser photodissociation of mass-selected Mg+ICH3 ions at 266 nm. Split distribution almost perpendicular to the polarization direction of the photolysis laser was observed in the photofragment image. Potential energy curves of Mg+ICH3 were obtained by theoretical calculations. Among these curves, the excited complex ion dissociated along almost repulsive potentials with several avoided crossings, which was connected to MgI+ + CH3. In the ground state of Mg+ICH3, the CH3I was bonded with Mg from the iodine side, and the Mg-I-C bond angle was calculated to be 101.1°. The theoretical results also indicated that the dissociation occurred after the 52A' ← 12A' photoexcitation, where the transition dipole moment was almost parallel to the Mg-I bond axis. The MgI+ and CH3 fragments dissociated each other parallel to the direction connecting those center-of-masses, which was 67° with respect to the transition dipole moment of 52A' ← 12A' photoexcitation. Therefore, the fragment recoil direction was assumed to approach perpendicular tendency against the polarization direction under the fast dissociation process. However, calculated potential energy curves showed a complicated reaction pathway for MgI+ production, including nonadiabatic processes, although the experimental results indicated the fast dissociation reaction.

Correlation between Electronic Shell Structure and Inertness of Cu n+ toward O2 Adsorption at n = 15, 21, 41, and 49.

The inertness of metal clusters in air is important for their application to novel materials and catalysts. The adsorption reactivity of copper clusters with O2 has been discussed in connection with the electronic structure of clusters because of its importance in electron transfer from the cluster to O2. Mass spectrometry was used to observe the reaction of Cu n+ + O2 ( n = 13-60) in the gas phase. For O2 adsorption on Cu n+, the relative rate constants of the n = 15, 21, 41, and 49 clusters were clearly lower than those with other n. Theoretical calculations indicated that the inertness of Cu15+ with 14 valence electrons was related to the large HOMO-LUMO gap predicted for the oblate Cu15+ structure. The Clemenger-Nilsson model was used to predict that the electronic subshell of oblate Cu49+ with 48 electrons was closed. This electronic shell closing of Cu49+ corresponds to the inertness for O2 adsorption.

Formation of hot hydrogen atoms from superexcited states of acetylene.

The cross sections for the formation of the H(2p) and H(2s) atoms, σ 2p and σ 2s , respectively, in photoexcitation of C2H2 were obtained in an absolute scale for studying formation and decay of superexcited states in the extreme ultraviolet range. Several superexcited states of C2H2 including multiply excited states were found in the curve of the σ 2p cross sections as a function of the incident photon energy. The same states seem to contribute to the variation in the σ 2s cross sections as well, which can be ascribed to the non-adiabatic transitions between the 2p and 2s channels. The Σ/Π symmetry-resolved cross sections for the H(2s) atom formation, σ 2 s Σ and σ 2 s Π , were also obtained on an absolute scale. The coupling between the Σ u + 1 and 1Π u states was found to be small.

Stable Compositions and Structures of Copper Oxide Cluster Cations Cu n O m + (n = 2-8) Studied by Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry.

Stable compositions and structures of copper oxide cluster cations have been studied by ion mobility mass spectrometry (IMMS) and density functional theory calculations. Cluster ions of the series Cu n O m + were predominantly observed with n:m ≈ 2:1 in the mass spectrum. Collision cross sections (CCSs) of the cluster ions with n:m ≈ 2:1, determined by IMMS, were found to increase monotonically with cluster size. In addition, the CCSs of Cu n O n + and Cu n O n-1 + (n = 2-8) were examined, and stepwise increases were observed for Cu n O n-1 + series. These cluster structures were assigned by comparison of the CCSs obtained via the IMMS experiment with theoretical orientation-averaged CCSs of optimized structures.

Compositions and structures of niobium oxide cluster ions, NbmOn±, (m = 2-12), revealed by ion mobility mass spectrometry.

Herein, the compositions and geometrical structures of niobium oxide cluster ions were studied and compared with those of the lighter Group 5 counterpart vanadium oxide cluster ions by ion-mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS). As a result of collision-induced dissociation in IM-MS, the compositions were found to be dependent on an odd and even number of niobium atoms, whereby the ions with (NbO2)(Nb2O5)(m-1)/2+ and (NbO3)(Nb2O5)(m-1)/2- were identified as stable compositions for an odd number of Nb atoms, whereas (Nb2O5)m/2± and (Nb2O6)(Nb2O5)(m-2)/2- were identified as stable compositions for an even number of Nb atom clusters. Furthermore, structural transitions were observed between m = 8 and 9 for cluster cations and m = 7 and 8 for cluster anions for experimental collision cross-sections (CCSs), which were determined from the arrival times in the ion-mobility measurements. Quantum chemical calculations were conducted on several structural candidates of these compositions for m = 2-12. For cluster cations with the sizes between m = 2 and 8 and cluster anions with m = 2-7, the structures were found to be similar to those of vanadium oxide cluster ions upon comparing the experimental CCSs with the theoretical CCSs of optimized structures. As compared to the vanadium oxide cluster ions, niobium oxide cluster cations with m ≥ 9 and anions with m ≥ 8 consisted of structures where some niobium atoms had more than five oxygen-atom coordination; thus, compact structures could be achieved in the case of niobium oxide cluster ions.

Geometrical Structures of Gas Phase Chromium Oxide Cluster Anions Studied by Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry.

Structural assignments of gas phase chromium oxide cluster anions, CrmOn- (m = 1-7), have been achieved by comparison between experimental collision cross sections measured by ion mobility mass spectrometry and theoretical collision cross sections of optimized structures by quantum chemical calculations. In the mass spectrum, significant magic behavior between the numbers m and n was not observed for CrmOn-, while wide ranges of compositions were observed around CrmO2m+2- to (CrO3)m- as reported previously. The (CrO3)m- (m = 3-7) ions were assigned to have monocyclic-ring structures for m = 3-5 and bicyclic rings for m = 6 and 7. In addition, gradual structural change from these cyclic structures of (CrO3)m- to three-dimensional structures of CrmO2m+2- was found for m = 4-7. The energy levels of molecular orbitals of a calculated monocyclic structure of Cr5O15- were also found to be consistent with previous results of photoelectron spectroscopy, although those of the bicyclic isomer exhibited a different behavior. Moreover, the observation of abundant ions generated by collision induced dissociations at the inlet of the ion drift cell indicates that the larger sized (CrO3)m- (m > 5) series were unstable and easily dissociated to smaller ions.

Development of a linear-type double reflectron for focused imaging of photofragment ions from mass-selected complex ions.

An ion imaging apparatus with a double linear reflectron mass spectrometer has been developed, in order to measure velocity and angular distributions of mass-analyzed fragment ions produced by photodissociation of mass-selected gas phase complex ions. The 1st and the 2nd linear reflectrons were placed facing each other and controlled by high-voltage pulses in order to perform the mass-separation of precursor ions in the 1st reflectron and to observe the focused image of the photofragment ions in the 2nd reflectron. For this purpose, metal meshes were attached on all electrodes in the 1st reflectron, whereas the mesh was attached only on the last electrode in the 2nd reflectron. The performance of this apparatus was evaluated using imaging measurement of Ca+ photofragment ions from photodissociation reaction of Ca+Ar complex ions at 355 nm photoexcitation. The focused ion images were obtained experimentally with the double linear reflectron at the voltages of the reflection electrodes close to the predictions by ion trajectory simulations. The velocity and angular distributions of the produced Ca+ ([Ar] 4p1, 2P3/2) ion were analyzed from the observed images. The binding energy D0 of Ca+Ar in the ground state deduced in the present measurement was consistent with those determined theoretically and by spectroscopic measurements. The anisotropy parameter ß of the transition was evaluated for the first time by this instrument.

Frequency-resolved optical gating for characterization of VUV pulses using ultrafast plasma mirror switching.

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a method for characterizing vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) pulses based on time-resolved reflection spectroscopy of fused silica pumped by an intense laser pulse. Plasma mirror reflection is used as an ultrafast optical switch, which enables us to measure frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) traces. The VUV temporal waveform can be retrieved from the measured FROG trace using principal component generalized projections algorithm with modification. The temporal profile of the plasma mirror reflectivity is also extracted simultaneously.

Cross sections for the formation of H(n = 2) atom via superexcited states in photoexcitation of methane and ammonia.

The absolute cross sections for the formation of the H(2s) and H(2p) atoms, σ2s and σ2p, respectively, in photoexcitation of CH4 and NH3 were measured in the range of the incident photon energy 15-48 eV for studying superexcited states of the molecules. The same superexcited states were found to contribute to the σ2s and σ2p cross sections. It was concluded that the non-adiabatic transitions play a significant role during the dissociation of the superexcited states and ionic states.

Auger decay of molecular double core-hole and its satellite states: comparison of experiment and calculation.

Auger decay of the C(2)H(2) double core-hole (DCH) states, including the single-site DCH (C1s(-2)), two-site DCH (C1s(-1)C1s(-1)), and satellite (C1s(-2)π(-1)π∗(+1)) states, has been investigated experimentally using synchrotron radiation combined with multi-electron coincidence method, and theoretically with the assumption of the two-step sequential model for Auger decay of the DCH states. The theoretical calculations can reproduce the experimental two-dimensional Auger spectra of the C(2)H(2) single-site DCH and satellite decays, and allow to assign the peaks appearing in the spectra in terms of sequential two-electron vacancy creations in the occupied valence orbitals. In case of the one-dimensional Auger spectrum of the C(2)H(2) two-site DCH decay, the experimental and calculated results agree well, but assignment of peaks is difficult because the first and second Auger components overlap each other. The theoretical calculations on the Auger decay of the N(2) single-site DCH state, approximately considering the effect of nuclear motion, suggest that the nuclear motion, together with the highly repulsive potential energy curves of the final states, makes an important effect on the energy distribution of the Auger electrons emitted in the second Auger decay.

A new spectroscopic method for resolving the electronic symmetry properties of the highly excited molecules produced in photoexcitation.

A novel method of spectroscopy for highly excited states of molecules in the valence excitation range has been established through the detection of metastable hydrogen atoms in the 2s state formed by photoexcitation. The detector for the metastable hydrogen atom is composed of a stack of parallel plate electrodes that creates a localized electric field and triggers the emission of the Lyman-alpha photon from the atom and a chevron pair of microchannel plates that detects the photon. For linear molecules, the angle-resolved detection of the metastable hydrogen atom enables us to measure cross sections in which electronic symmetries of highly excited molecular states are resolved. Such symmetry-resolved cross section measurements were carried out for doubly excited states of H(2).

Large pressure effect on the angular distribution of two Lyman-alpha photons emitted by an entangled pair of H(2p) atoms in the photodissociation of H2.

The angular distribution of two Lyman-alpha photons, i.e., the probability density that two Lyman-alpha photons are emitted in given directions, in the photodissociation of a hydrogen molecule have been measured at the hydrogen gas pressures of 0.40 and 0.13 Pa. We have found that the experimental angular distributions seem to approach the theoretical one by our group [J. Phys. B 40, 617 (2007)] with decreasing pressure, which indicates the generation of the entangled pair of H(2p) atoms shown in the theory and the role of the reaction of the entangled pair of H(2p) atoms with an H2 molecule that efficiently changes the entanglement.