Eur. Phys. J. D 45, 295-299 (2007)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2007-00252-0

Direct observation of the non-supported metal nanoparticle electron density of states by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

¹ Max-Lab, Lund University, Box 118, 22100 Lund, Sweden
² Department of Synchrotron Radiation Research, Box 118, 22100 Lund University, Lund, Sweden
³ Department of Physics, Uppsala University, Box 530, 75121 Uppsala, Sweden
⁴ Department of Physical Sciences, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, 90014 Oulu, Finland

Corresponding author: ^a maxim@maxlab.lu.se

Received: 7 March 2007
Revised: 14 May 2007
Published online: 10 August 2007

Abstract

Synchrotron-based X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy on copper and silver cluster beams created by a magnetron-based gas-aggregation source has allowed mapping the electron density of states (DOS) of free metallic nanoparticles. The cluster DOS profiles obtained in the experiments strongly resemble the infinite solid DOS shapes, but the extracted cluster work-functions are lower than those for the bulk metal. The latter observation is explained by the initial negative charge on most of the clusters, created by the source.