Eur. Phys. J. D (2026) 80: 91
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/s10053-026-01173-4

Research - Atoms, Molecules, Ions, and Clusters

Ion-induced fragmentation of the FIBID precursor iron tetracarbonyl acrolein

¹ J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, 18223, Prague, Czech Republic
² Department of Surface and Plasma Science, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, V Holešovičkách 2, 180 00, Prague, Czech Republic
³ Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, 32611-7200, Gainesville, FL, USA
⁴ Université Caen Normandie, ENSICAEN, CNRS, CEA, Normandie Univ, CIMAP UMR6252, 14000, Caen, France

^a This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Received: 20 January 2026
Accepted: 23 April 2026
Published online: 30 June 2026

Abstract

Focused ion beam-induced deposition (FIBID) relies on controlled ion-matter interactions, but the fundamental dissociation pathways of many potential precursor molecules remain largely unexplored. In this work, we investigate the ion-induced fragmentation of the FEBID/FIBID-relevant precursor Fe(CO)$_4^{}$(acrolein) in the gas phase. Using time-of-flight mass spectrometry, we measure the fragmentation patterns resulting from collisions with He$_{}^{+}$ (16 keV), Ne$_{}^{+}$ (6 keV), and Ne$_{}^{4+}$ (40 keV) projectiles, covering interaction regimes from predominantly electronic stopping to higher nuclear stopping contributions. The results reveal pronounced dissociation of the ligand framework and substantial loss of functional groups, consistent with efficient energy redistribution within the metal-carbonyl core. Ne$_{}^{+}$ is identified as a particularly efficient projectile for inducing molecular decomposition. The data provide new insight into the stability, energy-dissipation pathways, and FIBID-relevant behaviour of Fe(CO)$_4^{}$(acrolein), offering a basis for understanding its decomposition mechanisms and comparison to other iron precursors.