Thermoluminescence of nitrogen–neon and nitrogen–argon nanoclusters immersed in superfluid helium

Abstract

Ensembles of nanoclusters created by injection of nitrogen atoms and molecules as well as rare gas (RG) atoms (Ne and Ar) into superfluid 4He have been studied via optical and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopies. We studied the dynamics of thermoluminescence spectra emitted during the warming of porous structures formed by nitrogen–neon and nitrogen–argon nanoclusters inside superfluid helium. We show experimental evidence that quantum vortices initiate chemical reactions in porous ensembles of nanoclusters. Using this experimental approach, it is possible to study chemical reactions of heavy atoms and molecules at very low temperatures where normally their diffusion and quantum tunneling in solid matrices are completely suppressed.