Mean Gas Cluster Size Determination from Cluster Beam Cross-Section

Abstract

This paper describes the simple experimental method of size determination of gas clusters in molecular beams formed from supersonic jets. Mean cluster size N is calculated from broadening of the transverse profile of beam intensity at a fixed distance behind the skimmer. The described method allows determining the mean sizes of the clusters of any pure gases. It does not require the building of some special models, or determination of empirical constants. Due to the high intensity of the supersonic beams, the measurements do not require any complex highly sensitive equipment. The effectiveness of the present method is validated by measurements in a cluster beams of test gases (easily condensable CO2, Ar, and weakly condensable N2) and the beam of C2H4 (ethylene), formed from a supersonic jet behind conical nozzles. The certainty of measured characteristics is confirmed by the results of numerical simulations. By using the described method the mean cluster sizes from 50 to 2000 molecules per cluster were determined. The correctness of the obtained cluster sizes of CO2 and Ar is proved by comparison with results of other authors, obtained by other experimental methods, and estimations according to the empirical correlations using condensation scaling parameter Г*.