Inner-shell photoelectron spectroscopy provides an element-specific probe of molecular structure, as core-electron binding energies are sensitive to the chemical environment. Short-wavelength femtosecond light sources, such as Free-Electron Lasers (FELs), even enable time-resolved site-specific investigations of molecular photochemistry. Here, we study the ultraviolet photodissociation of the prototypical chiral molecule 1-iodo-2-methylbutane, probed by extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) pulses from the Free-electron LASer in Hamburg (FLASH) through the ultrafast evolution of the iodine 4d binding energy. Methodologically, we employ electron-ion partial covariance imaging as a technique to isolate otherwise elusive features in a two-dimensional photoelectron spectrum arising from different photofragmentation pathways. The experimental and theoretical results for the time-resolved electron spectra of the 4d3/2 and 4d5/2 atomic and molecular levels that are disentangled by this method provide a key step towards studying structural and chemical changes from a specific spectator site.
The internal energy distribution of ammonia formed in the dissociative recombination (DR) of NH4+ with electrons has been studied by an imaging technique at the ion storage ring CRYRING. The DR process resulted in the formation of NH3 + H (0,90 +/- 0.01), with minor contributions from channels producing NH2 + H-2 (0.05 +/- 0.01) and NH2 + 2H (0.04 +/- 0.02). The formed NH3 molecules were highly internally excited, with a mean rovibrational energy of 3.3 +/- 0.4 eV, which corresponds to 70% of the energy released in the neutralization process. The internal energy distribution was semiquantitatively reproduced by ab initio direct dynamics simulations, and the calculations suggested that the NH3 molecules are highly vibrationally excited while rotational excitation is limited. The high internal,excitation and the translational energy of NH3 and H will influence their subsequent reactivity, an aspect that should be taken into account when developing detailed models of the interstellar medium and ammonia-containing plasmas.
Using a crossed electron-ion beams method, we measured absolute cross sections for electron-impact dissociation of the CD3+ molecular ions producing CD2+ fragment ions and CH3+ ions yielding CH+ and C+ fragment ions over a collision energy range from a few eV up to 100 eV. The total experimental uncertainties are about 12% at the maximum of the curves of cross sections (peak of the cross section for the CH+ channel). The obtained results suggest important roles played by predissociation of bound states in the production of both the CH+ and C+ fragment ions. Good agreement is found with other results reported for the CH+ fragment, but some differences are found for the CD2+ and C+ fragments.
Massive stars disrupt their natal molecular cloud material through radiative and mechanical feedback processes. These processes have profound effects on the evolution of interstellar matter in our Galaxy and throughout the universe, from the era of vigorous star formation at redshifts of 1-3 to the present day. The dominant feedback processes can be probed by observations of the Photo-Dissociation Regions (PDRs) where the far-ultraviolet photons of massive stars create warm regions of gas and dust in the neutral atomic and molecular gas. PDR emission provides a unique tool to study in detail the physical and chemical processes that are relevant for most of the mass in inter- and circumstellar media including diffuse clouds, proto-planetary disks, and molecular cloud surfaces, globules, planetary nebulae, and star-forming regions. PDR emission dominates the infrared (IR) spectra of star-forming galaxies. Most of the Galactic and extragalactic observations obtained with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will therefore arise in PDR emission. In this paper we present an Early Release Science program using the MIRI, NIRSpec, and NIRCam instruments dedicated to the observations of an emblematic and nearby PDR: the Orion Bar. These early JWST observations will provide template data sets designed to identify key PDR characteristics in JWST observations. These data will serve to benchmark PDR models and extend them into the JWST era. We also present the Science-Enabling products that we will provide to the community. These template data sets and Science-Enabling products will guide the preparation of future proposals on star-forming regions in our Galaxy and beyond and will facilitate data analysis and interpretation of forthcoming JWST observations.
Theory predicts that double-core-hole (DCH) spectroscopy can provide a new powerful means of differentiating between similar chemical systems with a sensitivity not hitherto possible. Although DCH ionization on a single site in molecules was recently measured with double-and single-photon absorption, double-core holes with single vacancies on two different sites, allowing unambiguous chemical analysis, have remained elusive. Here we report that direct observation of double-core holes with single vacancies on two different sites produced via sequential two-photon absorption, using short, intense X-ray pulses from the Linac Coherent Light Source free-electron laser and compare it with theoretical modeling. The observation of DCH states, which exhibit a unique signature, and agreement with theory proves the feasibility of the method. Our findings exploit the ultrashort pulse duration of the free-electron laser to eject two core electrons on a time scale comparable to that of Auger decay and demonstrate possible future X-ray control of physical inner-shell processes.
We use a novel electrostatic ion storage ring to measure the radiative lifetime of the upper level in the 3p 5 P 2 o 1/2 →3p 5 P 2 o 3/2 spontaneous radiative decay in S − 32 to be 503±54 sec . This is by orders of magnitude the longest lifetime ever measured in a negatively charged ion. Cryogenic cooling of the storage ring gives a residual-gas pressure of a few times 10 −14 mbar at 13 K and storage of 10 keV sulfur anions for more than an hour. Our experimental results differ by 1.3σ from the only available theoretical prediction.
The intrinsic radiative lifetimes of the 5d(10)6s(2)S(1/2) and 5d(9)6s(2) D-2(3/2) bound excited states in the platinum anion Pt- have been studied at cryogenic temperatures at the Double ElectroStatic Ion Ring Experiment (DESIREE) facility at Stockholm University. The intrinsic lifetime of the higher-lying 5d(10)6s S-2(1/2) state was measured to be 2.54 +/- 0.10 s, while only a lifetime in the range of 50-200 ms could be estimated for the 5d(9)6s(2) D-2(3/2) fine-structure level. The storage lifetime of the Pt- ion beam was measured to be a little over 15 min at a ring temperature of 13 K. The present study reports the lifetime of an atomic negative ion in an excited bound state with an electron configuration different from that of the ground state.
In this paper we report the results of a study on the dissociative recombination (DR) of the diacetylene cation, C4D2+, which has been carried out at the ion storage ring CRYRING in Stockholm, Sweden. The energy-dependent absolute DR cross-section as well as the branching fractions at 0 eV collision energy were measured. The DR cross-section was best fitted using the expression σ(E) = (7.5 ± 1.5) × 10−16 × E−(1.29±0.03) cm2 over the collision energy range 1–100 meV. The thermal rate coefficient was deduced from the cross-section to be α(T) = (1.10 ± 0.15) × 10−6 × (T/300)−(0.79±0.03) cm3/s. The reported branching fractions for C4D2+ agree with previous experiments on the DR of C4H2+ performed at the ASTRID storage ring in Aarhus, Denmark, and furthermore, indicate that the DR of C4D2+ possesses only two channels leading to the following products: C4D + D (75%) and C2D + C2D (25%).
The present paper reports on a merged-beam experiment on mutual neutralization between Na+ and D-. For this experiment, we have used the DESIREE ion-beams storage-ring facility. The reaction products are detected using a position- and time-sensitive detector, which ideally allows for determination of the population of each individual quantum state in the final atomic systems. Here, the 4s, 3d, and 4p final states in Na are observed and in all cases the D atom is in its ground state 1s S-2. The respective branching fractions of the states populated in Na are determined by fitting results from a Monte Carlo simulation of the experiment to the measured data. The center-of-mass collision energy is controlled using a set of biased drift tubes, and the branching fractions are measured for energies between 80 meV and 393 meV. The resulting branching fractions are found to agree qualitatively with the only available theoretical calculations for this particular system, which are based on a multichannel Landau-Zener approach using dynamic couplings determined with a linear combination of atomic orbitals model.
We have developed an experimental technique to study charge-and energy-flow processes in sub-eV collisions between oppositely charged, internally cold, ions of atoms, molecules, and clusters. Two ion beams are stored in separate rings of the cryogenic ion-beam storage facility DESIREE, and merged in a common straight section where a set of biased drift tubes is used to control the center-of-mass collision energy locally in fine steps. Here, we present measurements on mutual neutralization between Li+ and D- where a time-sensitive imaging-detector system is used to measure the three-dimensional distance between the neutral Li and D atoms as they reach the detector. This scheme allows for direct measurements of kinetic-energy releases, and here it reveals separate populations of the 3s state and the (3p + 3d) states in neutral Li while the D atom is left in its ground state 1s. The branching fraction of the 3s final state is measured to be 57.8 +/- 0.7% at a center-of-mass collision energy of 78 +/- 13 meV. The technique paves the way for studies of charge-, energy-, and mass-transfer reactions in single collisions involving molecular and cluster ions in well-defined quantum states.
Absolute cross sections for electron-impact dissociation of XH2+ (X = B, C, N, O, F) producing XH+ and X+ ion fragments were measured in the 3- to 100-eV range using a crossed-electron-ion beams technique. Dissociative excitation of BD2+ and CH2+ producing B+ and C+, respectively, show a propensity toward a two-body dissociation while the remaining species all tend to show a three-body dissociation dynamic. The BD+ and CH+ dissociative excitation channels show a large resonant-type contribution to the cross sections at similar to 10eV. For the X+ fragment ion production cross sections, a clear dependence on the threshold energy, as it relates to the rate of rise in the cross section above threshold, is observed.
Absolute cross sections for electron-impact dissociation of N(2)D(+) producing N(2)(+), ND(+), and N(+) ion fragments were measured in the 5- to 100-eV range using a crossed electron-ion beams technique. In the 5- to 20-eV region, in which dissociative excitation (DE) is the principal contributing mechanism, N(2)(+) production dominates. The N(2)(+) + D dissociation channel shows a large resonant-like structure in the DE cross section, as observed previously in electron impact dissociation of triatomic dihydride species [M. Fogle, E. M. Bahati, M. E. Bannister, S. H. M. Deng, C. R. Vane, R. D. Thomas, and V. Zhaunerchyk, Phys. Rev. A 82, 042720 (2010)]. In the dissociative ionization (DI) region, 20- to 100-eV, N(2)(+), ND(+), and N(+) ion fragment production are comparable. The observance of the ND(+) and N(+) ion fragments indicate breaking of the N-N bond along certain dissociation channels.
When exposed to ultraintense x-radiation sources such as free electron lasers (FELs) the innermost electronic shell can efficiently be emptied, creating a transient hollow atom or molecule. Understanding the femtosecond dynamics of such systems is fundamental to achieving atomic resolution in flash diffraction imaging of noncrystallized complex biological samples. We demonstrate the capacity of a correlation method called partial covariance mapping'' to probe the electron dynamics of neon atoms exposed to intense 8 fs pulses of 1062 eV photons. A complete picture of ionization processes competing in hollow atom formation and decay is visualized with unprecedented ease and the map reveals hitherto unobserved nonlinear sequences of photoionization and Auger events. The technique is particularly well suited to the high counting rate inherent in FEL experiments.
We have stored the first beams in one of the rings of the double electrostatic ion-storage ring, DESIREE at cryogenic and at room temperature conditions. At cryogenic operations the following parameters are found. Temperature; T= 13K, pressure; p <10(-13) mbar, initial number of stored ions; N > 10(7) and storage lifetime of a C-2(-) beam; tau = 450 S.
We report on the ongoing commissioning of the Double ElectroStatic Ion Ring ExpEriment, DESIREE, at Stockholm University. Beams of atomic carbon anions (C-) and smaller carbon anion molecules (C-2(-), C-3(-), C-4(-) etc.) have been produced in a sputter ion source, accelerated to 10 keV or 20 keV, and stored successfully in the two electrostatic rings. The rings are enclosed in a common vacuum chamber cooled to below 13 Kelvin. The DESIREE facility allows for studies of internally relaxed single isolated atomic, molecular and cluster ions and for collision experiments between cat-and anions down to very low center-of-mass collision energies (meV scale). The total thermal load of the vacuum chamber at this temperature is measured to be 32 W. The decay rates of stored ion beams have two components: a non-exponential component caused by the space charge of the beam itself which dominates at early times and an exponential term from the neutralization of the beam in collisions with residual gas at later times. The residual gas limited storage lifetime of carbon anions in the symmetric ring is over seven minutes while the 1/e lifetime in the asymmetric ring is measured to be about 30 seconds. Although we aim to improve the storage in the second ring, the number of stored ions are now sufficient for many merged beams experiments with positive and negative ions requiring milliseconds to seconds ion storage.
The excited state relaxation pathways of isoxazole and oxazole upon excitation with UV-light were investigated by nonadiabatic ab initio dynamics simulations and time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. Excitation of the bright ππ*-state of isoxazole predominantly leads to ring-opening dynamics. Both the initially excited ππ*-state and the dissociative πσ*-state offer a combined barrier-free reaction pathway, such that ring-opening, defined as a distance of more than 2 Å between two neighboring atoms, occurs within 45 fs. For oxazole, in contrast, the excited state dynamics is about twice as slow (85 fs) and the quantum yield for ring-opening is lower. This is caused by a small barrier between the ππ*-state and the πσ*-state along the reaction path, which suppresses direct ring-opening. Theoretical findings are consistent with the measured time-resolved photoelectron spectra, confirming the timescales and the quantum yields for the ring-opening channel. The results indicate that a combination of time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and excited state dynamics simulations can explain the dominant reaction pathways for this class of molecules. As a general rule, we suggest that the antibonding σ*-orbital located between the oxygen atom and a neighboring atom of a five-membered heterocyclic system provides a driving force for ring-opening reactions, which is modified by the presence and position of additional nitrogen atoms.
We present femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron spectra and ab initio studies on pyrazole andits methylated derivatives 1-, 3-, and 5-methylpyrazole. Excitation at 200 nm populates both the two lowest lying states, a 1ππ* state and a mixed 1πσ*/1π3s Rydberg state, from where three relaxation channels are observed: ring puckering, N-H bond cleavage, and ring opening via N-N bond breaking. The N-N bond breaking channel is the fastest process, occurring within one vibrational cycle of the Franc Condon active ring stretching mode. N-H bond cleavage is observed to be aminor channel, and occurs upon direct excitation to the mixed π3s/πσ* state. Finally, ring puckering occurs after a timescale of a few hundred fs because the molecules need time to find the gradient towards this conical intersection. However, this channel is accessed if the initially triggered processes are not successful. The quantum yields of the different channels were found to be very sensitive of the relative positioning of the excited states. In pyrazole and 5-methylpyrazole, N-Nbond cleavage dominates. In 1-, and 3-methylpyrazole, while the 1ππ* state drops in energy the dissociating 1πσ* valence state does not, and this leads to an increased barrier towards ring cleavage and a decreased the quantum yield for N-N bond cleavage. Upon excitation at 267 nm of 1- and 3-methylpyrazole, ring puckering is the only available pathway.
The involvement of intermediate Rydberg states in the relaxation dynamics of small organic molecules which, after excitation to the valence manifold, also return to the valence manifold is rarely observed. We report here that such a transiently populated Rydberg state may offer the possibility to modify the outcome of a photochemical reaction. In a time resolved photoelectron study on pyrrole and its methylated derivatives, N-methyl pyrrole and 2,5-dimethyl pyrrole, 6.2 eV photons (200 nm) are used to excite these molecules into a bright pi pi* state. In each case, a pi 3p-Rydberg state, either the B-1(pi 3p(y)) or the A(2)(pi 3p(z)) state, is populated within 20-50 fs after excitation. The wavepacket then proceeds to the lower lying A(2)(pi sigma*) state within a further 20 fs, at which point two competing reaction channels can be accessed: prompt N-H (N-CH3) bond cleavage or return to the ground state via a conical intersection accessed after ring puckering, the latter of which is predicted to require an additional 100-160 fs depending on the molecule.
Determination of dissociative recombination processes of H13CO+ using merged ion-electron beam methods has been performed at the heavy storage ring CRYRING, Stockholm, Sweden. We have measured the branching fractions at ~0 eV as: CO+H 87±2%, OH+C 9±2% and O+CH 4±2%. The channels leading to CO+H have the following branching fractions between the accessible electronic states of CO(X1S+)+H 46±3%, CO(a3Pg)+H 20±1% and CO(a’3S+)+H 34±3% respectively. The reaction cross section was fitted between 1-300 meV and followed the expression σ = 1.2±0.25×10-16 E-1.32±0.02 cm2 and the corresponding thermal rate constant was determined to k(T) = 2.0±0.4×10−7(T/300)−0.82±0.02 cm3s−1. The cross sections between ~2-50 000 meV were investigated showing resonant structures between 3-15 eV.
An investigation into the dissociative recombination process for (HCO+)-C-13 using merged ion-electron beam methods has been performed at the heavy ion storage ring CRYRING, Stockholm, Sweden. We have measured the branching fractions of the different product channels at similar to 0 eV collision energy to be the following: CO + H 87 +/- 2%, OH + C 9 +/- 2%, and O + CH 4 +/- 2%. The formation of electronically excited CO in the dominant reaction channel has also been studied, and we report the following tentative branching fractions for the different CO product electronic states: CO(X (1)Sigma(+)) + H, 54 +/- 10%; CO(a (3)Pi) + H, 23 +/- 4%; and CO(a' (3)Sigma(+)) + H, 23 +/- 4%. The absolute cross section between similar to 2-50 000 meV was measured and showed resonance structures between 3 and 15 eV. The cross section was fitted in the energy range relevant to astrophysics, i.e., between 1 and 300 meV, and was found to follow the expression sigma = 1.3 +/- 0.3 X 10(-16) E-1.29 +/- 0.05 cm(2) and the corresponding thermal rate constant was determined to be k(T) = 2.0 +/- 0.4 X 10(-7)(T/300)(-0.79 +/- 0.05) cm(3) s(-1). Radioastronomical observations with the IRAM 30 m telescope of HCO+ toward the Red Rectangle yielded an upper column density limit of 4 X 10(11) cm(-2) of HCO+ at the 1 sigma level in that object, indicating that previous claims that the dissociative recombination of HCO+ plays an important role in the production of excited CO molecules emitting the observed Cameron bands in that object are not supported.
Aims: Determination of branching fractions, cross sections and thermal rate constants for the dissociative recombination of CD3CDOD+ and CH3CH2OH2+ at the low relative kinetic energies encountered in the interstellar medium.
Methods: The experiments were carried out by merging an ion and electron beam at the heavy ion storage ring CRYRING, Stockholm, Sweden.
Results: Break-up of the CCO structure into three heavy fragments is not found for either of the ions. Instead the CCO structure is retained in 23 ± 3% of the DR reactions of CD3CDOD+ and 7 ± 3% in the DR of CH3CH2OH2+, whereas rupture into two heavy fragments occurs in 77 ± 3% and 93 ± 3% of the DR events of the respective ions. The measured cross sections were fitted between 1-200 meV yielding the following thermal rate constants and cross-section dependencies on the relative kinetic energy: σ(Ecm[eV]) = 1.7 ± 0.3 × 10−15(Ecm[eV])−1.23±0.02 cm2 and k(T) = 1.9 ± 0.4 × 10−6(T/300)−0.73±0.02 cm3s−1 for CH3CH2OH2+ as well as k(T) = 1.1 ± 0.4 × 10−6(T/300)−0.74±0.05 cm3s−1 and σ(Ecm[eV]) = 9.2 ± 4 × 10−16(Ecm[eV])−1.24±0.05 cm2 for CD3CDOD+.
Aims: Determination of branching fractions, cross sections and thermal rate coefficients for the dissociative recombination of CD3OCD2+ (0-0.3 eV) and (CD3)2OD+ (0-0.2 eV) at the low relative kinetic energies encountered in the interstellar medium.
Methods: The measurements were carried out using merged electron and ion beams at the CRYRING storage ring, Stockholm, Sweden.
Results: For (CD3)2OD+ we have experimentally determined the branching fraction for ejection of a single hydrogen atom in the DR process to be maximally 7% whereas 49% of the reactions involve the break up of the COC chain into two heavy fragments and 44% ruptures both C-O bonds. The DR of CD3OCD2+ is dominated by fragmentation of the COC chain into two heavy fragments. The measured thermal rate constants and cross sections are k(T) =1.7 ± 0.5 × 10−6(T/300)−0.77±0.01 cm3s−1, σ= 1.2 ± 0.4 × 10−15(Ecm[eV])−1.27 ± 0.01 cm2 and k(T) = 1.7 ± 0.6 × 10−6(T/300)−0.70±0.02 cm3s−1,σ= 1.7 ± 0.6 × 10−15(Ecm[eV])−1.20±0.02 cm2 for CD3OCD2+ and (CD3)2OD+, respectively.
The intrinsic lifetime of the upper level in the bound-bound 3d(9) 4s(2) D-2(3/2) -> 3d(9) 4s(2) D-2(5/2) radiative transition in Ni- was measured to be 15.1 +/- 0.4 s. The experiment was performed at cryogenic temperatures in one of the ion-beam storage rings of the Double ElectroStatic Ion Ring ExpEriment facility at Stockholm University. The storage lifetime of the Ni- ion beam was measured to be close to 5 min at a ring temperature of 13 K.
We have performed measurements of the dissociative electron recombination (DR) of H-3(+) at the ion storage ring TSR utilizing a supersonic expansion ion source. The ion source has been characterized by continuous wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy. We present high-resolution DR rate coefficients for different nuclear spin modifications of H-3(+) combined with precise fragment imaging studies of the internal excitation of the H-3(+) ions inside the storage ring. The measurements resolve changes in the energy dependence between the ortho-H-3(+) and para-H-3(+) rate coefficients at low center-of-mass collision energies. Analysis of the imaging data indicates that the stored H-3(+) ions may have higher rotational temperatures than previously assumed, most likely due to collisional heating during the extraction of the ions from the ion source. Simulations of the ion extraction shed light on possible origins of the heating process and how to avoid it in future experiments.
Here we report on the gas-phase interactions between protonated enantiopure amino acids (l- and d-enantiomers of Met, Phe, and Trp) and chiral target gases [(R)- and (S)-2-butanol, and (S)-1-phenylethanol] in 0.1-10.0 eV low-energy collisions. Two major processes are seen to occur over this collision energy regime, collision-induced dissociation and ion-molecule complex formation. Both processes were found to be independent of the stereo-chemical composition of the interacting ions and targets. These data shed light on the currently debated mechanisms of gas-phase chiral selectivity by demonstrating the inapplicability of the three-point model to these interactions, at least under single collision conditions.
We have studied the fragmentation of the singly protonated L- and D-forms of enantiomerically pure phenylalanine (Phe), tryptophan (Trp), and methionine (Met) in high-energy collisions with chiral and achiral gas targets. (S)-(+)-2-butanol, racemic (+/-)-2-butanol, and argon were used as target gases. At center-of-mass frame collision energy of I key, it was found that all of the ions exhibit common fragmentation pathways which are independent of target chirality. For all projectile ions, the elimination of NH3 and H2O + CO were found to be the main reaction channels. The observed fragmentation patterns were dominated by statistically driven processes. The energy deposited into the ions was found to be sufficient to yield multiple fragment ions, which arise from decomposition via various competitive reaction pathways.
We have investigated nonlinear processes in small molecules by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy using the Linac Coherent Light Source free electron laser, and by simulations. The main focus of the experiments was the formation of the two-site double core-hole (tsDCH) states in the molecules CO2, N2O and N-2. These experiments are described in detail and the results are compared with simulations of the photoelectron spectra. The double core-hole states, and in particular the tsDCH states, have been predicted to be highly sensitive to the chemical environment. The theory behind this chemical sensitivity is validated by the experiments. Furthermore, our simulations of the relative integrated intensities of the peaks associated with the nonlinear processes show that this type of simulation, in combination with experimental data, provides a useful tool for estimating the duration of ultra-short x-ray pulses.
We report a joint experimental and theoretical study on the photoinitiated ultrafast dynamics of acrylonitrile (AN) and two methylated analogs: crotonitrile (CrN) and methacrylonitrile (MeAN). Time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (TRPES) and ab initio simulation are employed to discern the conical intersection mediated vibronic dynamics leading to relaxation to the ground electronic state. Each molecule is pumped with a femtosecond pulse at 200 nm and the ensuing wavepackets are probed by means of one and two photon ionization at 267 nm. The predominant vibrational motions involved in the de-excitation process, determined by ab initio trajectory simulations, are an initial twisting about the C=C axis followed by pyramidalization at a carbon atom. The decay of the time-resolved photoelectron signal for each molecule is characterized by exponential decay lifetimes for the passage back to the ground state of 60 +/- 10, 86 +/- 11, and 97 +/- 9 fs for AN, CrN, and MeAN, respectively. As these results show, the excited state dynamics are sensitive to the choice of methylation site and the explanation for the observed trend may be found in the trajectory simulations. Specifically, since the pyramidalization motion leading to the conical intersection with the ground state is accompanied by the development of a partial negative charge at the central atom of the pyramidal group, the electron donation of the cyano group ensures that this occurs exclusively at the medial carbon atom. In this way, the donated electron density from the cyano group directs the wavepacket to a particular region of the intersection seam. The excellent agreement between the experimental and simulated TRPES spectra, the latter determined by employing trajectory simulations, demonstrates that this mechanistic picture is consistent with the spectroscopic results.
The fragmentation of deuterated benzene (CA) in ultrashort intense laser fields (9 fs, 1 x 10(15) W/cm(2)) is studied by the ion-coincidence momentum imaging technique. Five two-body and eight three-body Coulomb explosion pathways from the trication (C6D63+), associated with the deprotonation and ring-opening reactions, are identified. It is found from the fragment momentum correlation that all the observed three-body explosion processes proceed sequentially via the two-body Coulomb explosion forming molecular dications, CmDn2+, with (m,n) = (6,5), (5,5), (5,4), (4,4), (4,3), and (3,3), which further dissociate into pairs of monocations. The branching ratio of the fragmentation pathways estimated from the number of the observed coincidence events indicates that the fragmentation is nonstatistical.
Few-photon ionization and relaxation processes in acetylene (C2H2) and ethane (C2H6) were investigated at the linac coherent light source x-ray free electron laser (FEL) at SLAC, Stanford using a highly efficient multi-particle correlation spectroscopy technique based on a magnetic bottle. The analysis method of covariance mapping has been applied and enhanced, allowing us to identify electron pairs associated with double core hole (DCH) production and competing multiple ionization processes including Auger decay sequences. The experimental technique and the analysis procedure are discussed in the light of earlier investigations of DCH studies carried out at the same FEL and at third generation synchrotron radiation sources. In particular, we demonstrate the capability of the covariance mapping technique to disentangle the formation of molecular DCH states which is barely feasible with conventional electron spectroscopy methods.
We have studied the stability of the smallest long-lived all carbon molecular dianion () in new time domains and with a single ion at a time using a cryogenic electrostatic ion-beam storage ring. We observe spontaneous electron emission from internally excited dianions on millisecond timescales and monitor the survival of single colder molecules on much longer timescales. We find that their intrinsic lifetime exceeds several minutes—6 orders of magnitude longer than established from earlier experiments on . This is consistent with our calculations of vertical electron detachment energies predicting one inherently stable isomer and one isomer which is stable or effectively stable behind a large Coulomb barrier for →+e− separation.
For the series furan, furfural and β-furfural we investigated the effect of substituents and their positioning on the photoinduced relaxation dynamics in a combined theoretical and experimental approach. Using time resolved photoelectron spectroscopy with a high intensity probe pulse, we can, for the first time, follow the whole deactivation process of furan through a two photon probe signal. Using the extended 2-electron 2-orbital model [Nenov et al., J. Chem. Phys., 2011, 135, 034304] we explain the formation of one central conical intersection and predict the influence of the aldehyde group of the derivatives on its geometry. This, as well as the relaxation mechanisms from photoexcitation to the final outcome was investigated using a variety of theoretical methods. Complete active space self consistent field was used for on-the-fly calculations while complete active space perturbation theory and coupled cluster theory were used to accurately describe critical configurations. Experiment and theory show the relaxation dynamics of furfural and β-furfural to be slowed down, and together they disclose an additional deactivation pathway, which is attributed to the nO lonepair state introduced with the aldehyde group.
We report results from high-resolution studies of D-5(+) cluster ion collisions with low-energy electrons performed in a heavy ion storage ring. Absolute dissociative recombination (DR) and dissociative excitation (DE) cross sections were determined for the energy range from 0.0005 to 20eV. The DR cross sections were exceedingly large at low energies, and DR resulted in efficient internal energy redistribution and pronounced fragmentation with two main product channels: D-2+3D (0.62 +/- 0.03) and 2D(2)+D (0.35 +/- 0.01). The DR and DE cross sections were comparable in the energy range from 0.2 to 20eV, which suggest that the two processes follow similar dynamics and are competing outcomes of the ion-electron interaction. A simple picture of the recombination process of D-5(+) which captures the essential physics is suggested.
The mutual neutralisation of O+ with O− has been studied in a double ion-beam storage ring with combined merged-beams, imaging and timing techniques. Branching ratios were measured at the collision energies of 55, 75 and 170 (± 15) meV, and found to be in good agreement with previous single-pass merged-beams experimental results at 7 meV collision energy. Several previously unidentified spectral features were found to correspond to mutual neutralisation channels of the first metastable state of the cation (O+(2Do), τ ≈ 3.6 hours), while no contributions from the second metastable state (O+(2Po), τ ≈ 5 seconds) were observed. Theoretical calculations were performed using the multi-channel Landau–Zener model combined with the anion centered asymptotic method, and gave good agreement with several experimentally observed channels, but could not describe well observed contributions from the O+(2Do) metastable state as well as channels involving the O(3s 5So) state.
The double ion storage ring DESIREE has been used in combination with position- and time-sensitive detectors to study the mutual neutralization of N+ with O− at 40 meV collision energy. Several previously unassigned spectral features observed in a recent single-pass merged-beams experiment at 7 meV collision energy [Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 083401 (2018)], were also observed in the present experiment. It was found that neutralization channels of the first metastable state of the cation [N+(1D),τ≈256s] could explain the majority of these features, while the second metastable state [N+(1S),τ≈0.9s] was not found to contribute significantly. The branching ratios into the different electronically excited states of N were determined and found to be in good agreement between the two experiments. Theoretical calculations using the multichannel Landau-Zener model were found to yield good results for a number of channels, but could not describe some observed contributions, possibly due to the presence of other processes not accounted for in the model.
We have studied the mutual neutralization reaction of atomic iodine ions (i.e., I++I−→I+I) in a cryogenic double electrostatic ion-beam storage-ring apparatus. Our results show that the reaction forms iodine atoms either in the ground-state configuration (I(5p52P∘), ∼40%) or with one atom in an electronically excited state (I(6s2[2]), ∼60%), with no significant variation over the branching ratios in the studied collision-energy range (0.1–0.8 eV). We estimate the total charge-transfer cross section to be of the order of 10−13cm2 at 0.1 eV collision energy. Ab initio relativistic electronic structure calculations of the potential-energy curves of I2 suggest that the reaction takes place at short internuclear distances. The results are discussed in view of their importance for applications in electric thrusters.
In this work we report the stereo-dependent collision-induced dissociation (CID) of proton-bound complexes of tryptophan and 2-butanol. The dissociation efficiency was measured as a function of collision energy in single collision mode. The homochiral complex was found to be less stable against CID than a heterochiral one. Additional gas dependence measurements were performed with diastereomeric complexes that confirm the findings.
We have studied the collision induced dissociation reactions of proton-bound diastereomeric adducts of S-1-phenylethanol and enantiomers of three different amino acids (tryptophan, phenylalanine, methionine). In all cases, the loss of S-1-phenylethanol from the adduct ion is the only observed process, and the relative abundance is found to be independent of the chirality of the amino acid. This is in contrast to earlier experiments on the dissociation of protonated tryptophan-2-butanol adducts, where chirality affected the results. Results obtained from quantum chemical computations support and provide a rationale for the experimental observations and highlight temperature as a possible factor of importance for the chiral effect in these types of systems. [GRAPHICS] .
We have studied the collision induced dissociation reactions of proton-bound diastereomeric adducts of S-(-)-1-phenylethanol and enantiomers of three different amino acids (tryptophan, phenylalanine, methionine) with argon at a collision energy of 0.5 eV in the center-of-mass frame. At this energy, fragmentation into the alcohol and the protonated amino acid was the only observed product channel. Contrary to anticipation, the fragmentation was found to be insensitive to the chirality of the constituents. The results obtained from quantum chemical calculations show that the hetero-chiral adducts are more stable than the homo-chiral forms. However, given the experimental conditions in the ion source, it is likely that multiple conformers which lie close in energy to the ground-state configuration are populated, limiting the experimental sensitivity to observe the predicted differences.
We have tested the ion-storage capabilities of the compact triple-electrode electrostatic ion-beam trap, ConeTrap, down to cryogenic temperatures. The low-temperature operation of this electrostatic storage device is an important test for the double electrostatic ion-ring experiment, DESIREE, which is presently under construction at Stockholm University. In the present work we measured the pressure dependent storage lifetimes of 2.5 keV He+ and 2.8 keV Ar+ ion beams in ConeTrap at temperatures down to 28 K and pressures down to 1.3·10-10 mbar. The so far longest measured ion storage lifetime using this system is 21.5±3.8 s for Ar+ ions. The present combination of ConeTrap and the cryogenic experimental chamber was recently applied in the first black-body correction-free measurement of the lifetime of the metastable He- ion at 10 K [Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 213002(2009)].
We have developed a small purely electrostatic ion-beam trap which may be operated in thermal equilibrium at precisely controlled temperatures down to 10 K. Thus, we avoid magnetic field induced mixing of quantum states and may effectively eliminate any influence from absorption of photons from black-body radiation. We report the first correction free measurements of the lifetimes of the 1s2s2p 4PoJ state of 4He- and the high precision result 359.0±0.7 μs for the J=5/2 level. The lifetimes for the J=3/2 and J=1/2 levels are determined to be 12.3±0.5 and 7.8±1.0 μs, respectively.
In a recent experiment, Lindahl et al. (Lindahl A. O. et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 108 (2012) 033004) observed a new threshold behavior in the photodetachment of the potassium negative ion when the residual atom is left in the 5 (2)G state. Unfortunately the resonance close to threshold made it more difficult to apply the semi-classical model that was developed to describe the threshold behavior. In this paper we present a study of the threshold behavior of the 5 (2)G partial cross-section in the photodetachment of the sodium negative ion. The experiment was conducted using a collinear beams apparatus where the detection was performed using a resonance ionization scheme. We observe the same threshold behavior as in the previous experiment, but without any obfuscating resonance. The model derived in the previous paper is found to fit the observed cross-section up to 35 meV above threshold. The present experiment clearly demonstrates the threshold behaviour for the fundamental process of a free electron moving in the field of an atom with a large negative polarizability.
An assembly consisting of a stack of three microchannel plates (MCPs) and a phosphor screen anode has been operated over the temperature range from 300 to 12 K. We report on measurements at 6.4 kHz (using an alpha source) and with dark counts only (15 Hz). Without any particle source, the MCP bias current decreased by a factor of 2.1×103 when the temperature was lowered from 300 to 12 K. Using the alpha source, and a photomultiplier tube (PMT) to monitor the phosphor screen anode, we first observed an increase in the decay time of the phosphor from 12 to 45 μs when the temperature was decreased from 300 to 100 K while the decay time then decreased and reached a value of 5 μs at 12 K. The pulse height distribution from the PMT was measured between300 and 12 K and shows a spectrum typical for a MCP phosphor setup at 300 K and 12 K but is strongly degraded for intermediate temperatures. We conclude that the present MCP-phosphor detector assembly is well suited for position-sensitive particle counting operation at temperatures down to at least 12 K even for count rates beyond 6 kHz. This result is crucial and an important part of ongoing developments of new instrumentation for investigations of, e.g., interactions involving complex molecular ions with internal quantum state control.
We have performed x-ray two-photon photoelectron spectroscopy using the Linac Coherent Light Source x-ray free-electron laser in order to study double core-hole (DCH) states of CO2, N2O, and N-2. The experiment verifies the theory behind the chemical sensitivity of two-site DCH states by comparing a set of small molecules with respect to the energy shift of the two-site DCH state and by extracting the relevant parameters from this shift.
Translational spectroscopy coupled with coincidence detection techniques has been used to study the dissociation dynamics of ground state H/D+N-2 products resulting from charge exchange between keV beams of HN2+/DN2+ and cesium. Analysis of the product kinetic energy release suggests that dissociation of HN2 and DN2 proceeds from initial populations in the (2)A '', 2 (2)A ', and 3s Rydberg electronic states of the neutral molecule. Although all three excited electronic states must eventually couple to the 1 (2)A ' ground state of HN2/DN2, the resulting dissociation dynamics exhibit a significant dependence on the initial electronic state. Potential mechanisms are discussed in light of the observed product kinetic energy release distributions.
The influence of ring-puckering on the light-induced ring-opening dynamics of heterocyclic compounds was studied on the sample 5-membered ring molecules gamma-valerolactone and 5H-furan-2-one using time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. In gamma-valerolactone, ring-puckering is not a viable relaxation channel and the only available reaction pathway is ring-opening, which occurs within one vibrational period along the C-O bond. In 5H-furan-2-one, the C = C double bond in the ring allows for ring-puckering which slows down the ring-opening process by about 150 fs while only marginally reducing its quantum yield. This demonstrates that ring-puckering is an ultrafast process, which is directly accessible upon excitation and which spreads the excited state wave packet quickly enough to influence even the outcome of an otherwise expectedly direct ring-opening reaction.
One important relaxation pathway for photo-excited five-membered heterocyclic organic molecules is ring-opening via a dissociative pi sigma* state. In this study, we investigate the influence of this pathway in furan and several hydrogenated and methylated derivatives by combining time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy with time-dependent density functional theory and coupled cluster calculations. We find strong experimental evidence that the ring-opening channel is the major relaxation channel in furan, 2,3-dihydrofuran, and 2-methylfuran (2-MF). In 2,5-dimethylfuran (25-DMF), however, we observe that the molecules relax either via a pi 3s Rydberg state or through a direct return to the ground state by undergoing ring-puckering motions. From the supporting calculations, for 2-MF and 25-DMF, we predict that there is strong mixing between the pi sigma* state and the pi 3s Rydberg state along the ring opening pathway. However, in 25-DMF, no crossing between the pi sigma*/pi 3s state and the initially excited pi pi* state can be found along the ring opening coordinate, effectively blocking this channel.
We have reinvestigated the excited state dynamics of cyclohexa-1,3-diene (CHD) with time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and fewest switches surface hopping molecular dynamics based on linear response time dependent density functional theory after excitation to the lowest lying pi pi* (1B) state. The combination of both theory and experiment revealed several new results: First, the dynamics progress on one single excited state surface. After an incubation time of 35 +/- 10 fs on the excited state, the dynamics proceed to the ground state in an additional 60 +/- 10 fs, either via a conrotatory ring-opening to hexatriene or back to the CHD ground state. Moreover, ring-opening predominantly occurs when the wavepacket crosses the region of strong nonadiabatic coupling with a positive velocity in the bond alternation coordinate. After 100 fs, trajectories remaining in the excited state must return to the CHD ground state. This extra time delay induces a revival of the photoelectron signal and is an experimental confirmation of the previously formulated model of two parallel reaction channels with distinct time constants. Finally, our simulations suggest that after the initially formed cis-Z-cis HT rotamer the trans-Z-trans isomer is formed, before the thermodynamical equilibrium of three possible rotamers is reached after 1 ps.