Single-Size Thermometric Measurements on a Size Distribution of Neutral Fullerenes

Abstract

We present measurements of the velocity distribution of electrons emitted from mass-selected neutral fullerenes, performed at the intracavity free electron laser FELICE. We make use of mass-specific vibrational resonances in the infrared domain to selectively heat up one out of a distribution of several fullerene species. Efficient energy redistribution leads to decay via thermionic emission. Time-resolved electron kinetic energy distributions measured give information on the decay rate of the selected fullerene. This method is generally applicable to all neutral species that exhibit thermionic emission and provides a unique tool to study the stability of mass-selected neutral clusters and molecules that are only available as part of a size distribution.

Progress towards a realistic theoretical description ofC60photoelectron-momentum imaging experiments using time-dependent density-functional theory

“…Electron rescattering will progressively heat up the electrons of the system (indepen dently from the ionic temperature which altogether remains vanishingly small at the electronic level) whose distribution will finally acquire thermal features. Such effects have already been pointed out in recent experiments [9,11] and are most probably showing up in the present case. They are especially visible at the side of the PAD which, once thermal effects are accounted for, will acquire a stronger isotropic component.…”

“…In cluster physics, PES have long since been investigated [3][4][5][6], originally to address questions about geometrical structures in simple metal cluster anions M~ {M -Na, Al, and Cu, n < 10). A steady de velopment of light sources and molecular sources now allows one to measure PES and PADs for a large variety of clusters [7][8][9], even enabling one to analyze dynamical features [10], including possible electronic thermal effects [11], Over the last decades [12],C6o is one of the clusterlike species that has attracted much attention by researchers from different fields. One of the reasons for this special attention is related to the fact that fullerenes can be easily produced in the gas phase using pure samples.…”

Multiscale dynamics of C60from attosecond to statistical physics

“…Using the first intracavity IR free electron laser (FELICE) it was possible to show the equivalency between UV-vis nonresonant and IR vibrationally resonant excitation as far as thermionic emission is concerned. Electron imaging experiments performed at 'FELICE' brought an additional validation of the statistical hypothesis [30]. In this experiment, a VMI spectrometer was installed directly inside the FEL cavity where the IR radiation directly interacts with the molecular beam.…”

Delayed electron emission from fullerene dianions: Evidence for a thermal tunneling detachment

“…Another major decay process following photon absorption is thermionic emission: The excitation energy is transferred to the vibrations and leads to a delayed electron emission after thermal equilibration [11]. By contrast with direct emission, very few studies have been devoted to the MCA thermionic emission.…”