https://doi.org/10.1007/s100530170061
Observation of multiply charged silver-cluster anions
Institut für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany
Corresponding author: a alexander.herlert@uni-mainz.de
Received:
24
November
2000
Published online: 15 September 2001
Singly charged silver-cluster anions are produced in a laser
vaporization source and transferred into a Penning trap. After size selection the
clusters are subjected to an electron bath in the trap, which results
in the attachment of further electrons. The relative abundance of dianions or trianions
as a function of the clusters' size is analyzed by time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
Silver-cluster dianions are observed for sizes 
and
trianions for n> 100. In addition, a detailed study of the cluster sizes 
shows a pronounced resistance to electron attachment for singly charged anions Ag
with a closed electronic shell, in particular Ag
, Ag
, and Ag
.
Both the threshold size for the observation of dianionic silver clusters and the shell
effects in the production yield correlate favorably with previous theoretical
investigations of the respective electron affinities.
PACS: 36.40.Wa – Charged clusters / 36.40.Qv – Stability and fragmentation of clusters / 36.40.Cg – Electronic and magnetic properties of clusters
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2001
