Electron Detachment Threshold Research Articles

Observation of a core-excited dipole-bound state ∼1eV above the electron detachment threshold in cryogenically cooled acetylacetonate.

Dipole-bound states in anions exist when a polar neutral core binds an electron in a diffuse orbital through charge-dipole interaction. Electronically excited polar neutral cores can also bind an electron in a diffuse orbital to form Core-Excited Dipole-Bound States (CE-DBSs), which are difficult to observe because they usually lie above the electron detachment threshold, leading to very short lifetimes and, thus, unstructured transitions. We report here the photodetachment spectroscopy of cryogenically cooled acetylacetonate anion (C5H7O2-) recorded by detecting the neutral radical produced upon photodetachment and the infrared spectroscopy in He-nanodroplets. Two DBSs were identified in this anion. One of them lies close to the electron detachment threshold (∼2.74eV) and is associated with the ground state of the radical (D0-DBS). Surprisingly, the other DBS appears as resonant transitions at 3.69eV and is assigned to the CE-DBS associated with the first excited state of the radical (D1-DBS). It is proposed that the resonant transitions of the D1-DBS are observed ∼1eV above the detachment threshold because its lifetime is determined by the internal conversion to the D0-DBS, after which the fast electron detachment takes place.

Dynamic Interplay between the Mode-Randomization and Autodetachment of the Dipole-Bound States of the Anion.

State-specific dynamics of the dipole-bound state (DBS) of the cryogenically cooled deprotonated 4,4'-biphenol anion have been investigated by picosecond time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy. For DBS vibrational states below the electron-detachment threshold, the relaxation rate is slow to give a lifetime (τ) longer than ∼5 ns, and it is attributed to the nonvalence-to-valence orbital transformation. For the DBS resonances above the detachment threshold, however, the lifetime decreases with the activation of autodetachment, whereas the otherwise zeroth DBS modes seem to be randomized by intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR), as manifested in the biexponential transients. As the DBS internal energy increases further, the lifetime shows a monotonic decrease to give τ ∼ 50 ps at E'vib ∼ 1700 cm-1. This study demonstrates that IVR may play an important role in the autodetachment dynamics when the density of states rapidly increases with increasing vibrational energy, giving important implications for the electron-transfer dynamics taking place in large biological or astrochemical systems.

Excited-state chemistry of the nitromethane anion mediated by the dipole-bound states revealed by photofragment action spectroscopy.

We report the first experimental observation of the excited dipole-bound state (DBS) of the cryogenically cooled nitromethane anion (CH3NO2-), where the excess electron is loosely attached to the singlet or triplet neutral-core. Photofragment and photodetachment action spectra have been employed for the dynamic exploration of Feshbach resonances located even far above the electron detachment threshold, giving excitation profiles from the ground anionic state (D0) to the DBSs which match quite well with the spectral structures of the photoelectron spectra. This indicates that the electron transfer from the nonvalence orbital (of DBS) to the valence orbital (of anion) is mainly responsible for the anionic fragmentation channels, giving strong evidence for that the DBS plays a dynamic doorway-role in the anionic fragmentation reactions. Photofragment action spectra have also been obtained for the anionic clusters of (CH3NO2)2-, (CH3NO2)3-, or (CH3NO2·H2O)-, giving the relative yields of various fragments as a function of the excitation energy for each cluster. The absorption profiles of the anionic clusters exhibit substantial blue-shifts compared to the bare nitromethane anion as their ground states are much stabilized by solvation. The anionic fragmentation pattern varies among different clusters, giving essential clues for the thorough understanding of the whole anionic dynamics such as the dynamic role of the short-lived nonvalence-bound states of the clusters.

Dipole-Bound State, Photodetachment Spectroscopy, and Resonant Photoelectron Imaging of Cryogenically-Cooled 2-Cyanopyrrolide.

Valence-bound anions with polar neutral cores can have diffuse dipole-bound excited states just below the electron detachment threshold. Because of the similarity in geometry and vibrational frequencies between the dipole-bound states (DBSs) and the corresponding neutrals, DBSs have been exploited as intermediate states to conduct resonant photoelectron spectroscopy (PES), resulting in highly non-Franck-Condon photoelectron spectra via vibrational autodetachment and providing much richer vibrational information than conventional PES. Here, we report a photodetachment and high-resolution photoelectron imaging study of the 2-cyanopyrrolide anion, cooled in a cryogenic ion trap. The electron affinity of the 2-cyanopyrrolyl radical is measured to be 3.0981 ± 0.0006 eV (24 988 ± 5 cm-1). A DBS is observed for 2-cyanopyrrolide at 240 cm-1 below its detachment threshold using photodetachment spectroscopy. Twenty-three above-threshold vibrational resonances (Feshbach resonances) of the DBS are observed. Resonant PES is conducted at each Feshbach resonance, yielding a wealth of vibrational information about the 2-cyanopyrrolyl radical. Resonant two-photon PES confirms the s-like dipole-bound orbital and reveals a relatively long lifetime of the bound zero-point level of the DBS. Fundamental frequencies for 19 vibrational modes (out of a total of 24) are obtained for the cyanopyrrolyl radical, including six out-of-plane modes. The current work provides important spectroscopic information about 2-cyanopyrrolyl, which should be valuable for the study of this radical in combustion or astronomical environments.

Resonant two-photon photoelectron imaging and adiabatic detachment processes from bound vibrational levels of dipole-bound states.

Anions cannot have Rydberg states, but anions with polar neutral cores can support highly diffuse dipole-bound states (DBSs) as a class of interesting electronically excited states below the electron detachment threshold. The binding energies of DBSs are extremely small, ranging from a few to few hundred wavenumbers and generally cannot support bound vibrational levels below the detachment threshold. Thus, vibrational excitations in the DBS are usually above the electron detachment threshold and they have been used to conduct resonant photoelectron spectroscopy, which is dominated by state-specific autodetachment. Here we report an investigation of a cryogenically-cooled complex anion, the enantiopure (R)-(-)-1-(9-anthryl)-2,2,2-trifluoroethanolate (R-TFAE-). The neutral R-TFAE radical is relatively complex and highly polar with a non-planar structure (C1 symmetry). Photodetachment spectroscopy reveals a DBS 209 cm-1 below the detachment threshold of R-TFAE- and seven bound and eight above-threshold vibrational levels of the DBS. Resonant two-photon detachment (R2PD) via the bound vibrational levels of the DBS exhibits strictly adiabatic photodetachment behaviors by the second photon, in which the vibrational energies in the DBS are carried to the neutral final states, because of the parallel potential energy surfaces of the DBS and the corresponding neutral ground electronic state. Relaxation processes from the bound DBS levels to the ground and low-lying electronically excited states of R-TFAE- are also observed in the R2PD photoelectron spectra. The combination of photodetachment and resonant photoelectron spectroscopy yields frequencies for eight vibrational modes of the R-TFAE radical.

Actinic Wavelength Action Spectroscopy of the IO- Reaction Intermediate.

Iodinate anions are important in the chemistry of the atmosphere where they are implicated in ozone depletion and particle formation. The atmospheric chemistry of iodine is a complex overlay of neutral-neutral, ion-neutral, and photochemical processes, where many of the reactions and intermediates remain poorly characterized. This study targets the visible spectroscopy and photostability of the gas-phase hypoiodite anion (IO-), the initial product of the I- + O3 reaction, by mass spectrometry equipped with resonance-enhanced photodissociation and total ion-loss action spectroscopies. It is shown that IO- undergoes photodissociation to I- + O (3P) over 637-459 nm (15700-21800 cm-1) because of excitation to the bound first singlet excited state. Electron photodetachment competes with photodissociation above the electron detachment threshold of IO- at 521 nm (19200 cm-1) with peaks corresponding to resonant autodetachment involving the singlet excited state and the ground state of neutral IO possibly mediated by a dipole-bound state.

Observation of a dipole-bound excited state in 4-ethynylphenoxide and comparison with the quadrupole-bound excited state in the isoelectronic 4-cyanophenoxide.

Negative ions do not possess Rydberg states but can have Rydberg-like nonvalence excited states near the electron detachment threshold, including dipole-bound states (DBSs) and quadrupole-bound states (QBSs). While DBSs have been studied extensively, quadrupole-bound excited states have been more rarely observed. 4-cyanophenoxide (4CP-) was the first anion observed to possess a quadrupole-bound exited state 20cm-1 below its detachment threshold. Here, we report the observation of a DBS in the isoelectronic 4-ethynylphenoxide anion (4EP-), providing a rare opportunity to compare the behaviors of a dipole-bound and a quadrupole-bound excited state in a pair of very similar anions. Photodetachment spectroscopy (PDS) of cryogenically cooled 4EP- reveals a DBS 76cm-1 below its detachment threshold. Photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) at 266nm shows that the electronic structure of 4EP- and 4CP- is nearly identical. The observed vibrational features in both the PDS and PES, as well as autodetachment from the nonvalence excited states, are also found to be similar for both anions. However, resonant two-photon detachment (R2PD) from the bound vibrational ground state is observed to be very different for the DBS in 4EP- and the QBS in 4CP-. The R2PD spectra reveal that decays take place from both the DBS and QBS to the respective anion ground electronic states within the 5ns detachment laser pulse due to internal conversion followed by intramolecular vibrational redistribution and relaxation, but the decay mechanisms appear to be very different. In the R2PD spectrum of 4EP-, we observe strong threshold electron signals, which are due to detachment, by the second photon, of highly rotationally excited anions resulted from the decay of the DBS. On the other hand, in the R2PD spectrum of 4CP-, we observe well-resolved vibrational peaks due to the three lowest-frequency vibrational modes of 4CP-, which are populated from the decay of the QBS. The different behaviors of the R2PD spectra suggest unexpected differences between the relaxation mechanisms of the dipole-bound and quadrupole-bound excited states.

Probing the Dipole-Bound State in the 9-Phenanthrolate Anion by Photodetachment Spectroscopy, Resonant Two-Photon Photoelectron Imaging, and Resonant Photoelectron Spectroscopy.

Valence-bound anions with a dipolar core can support dipole-bound states (DBSs) below the electron detachment threshold. The highly diffuse DBS observed is usually of σ symmetry with an s-like orbital. Recently, a π-type DBS was observed experimentally in the 9-anthrolate anion (9AT-) and it was shown to be stabilized due to the large anisotropic polarizability of the 9AT core. To confirm the general existence of π-DBS and its structural dependence, here we report an investigation of the 9-phenanthrolate anion (9PT-), which has a different structure and lower symmetry than 9AT-. Photodetachment spectroscopy revealed a DBS 257 cm-1 below the detachment threshold of 9PT- at 19 627 cm-1 (2.4334 eV). Resonant two-photon photoelectron imaging indeed showed a π symmetry for the DBS. Similar to that observed in 9AT-, the π-DBS in 9PT- is also stabilized by the anisotropic polarizability of the 9PT core and accessed via nonadiabatic population transfer from the initially populated σ-DBS. Photodetachment spectroscopy unveiled nine above-threshold vibrational resonances of the DBS, resulting in nine highly non-Franck-Condon resonant photoelectron spectra by tuning the detachment laser to the vibrational resonances. The combination of photodetachment spectroscopy and resonant photoelectron spectroscopy allowed frequencies for nine vibrational modes of the 9-phenathroxy radical to be measured, including the six lowest frequency bending modes.

Electron detachment dynamics of the iodide-guanine cluster: does ionization occur from the iodide or from guanine?

Laser photodissociation spectroscopy of the I‐·guanine complex has been conducted for the first time across the regions above the electron detachment threshold to explore the excited states and whether vertical ionisation occurs from the iodide or the nucleobase. The photofragment spectra reveal a prominent dipole-bound excited state (I) close to the calculated vertical electron detachment energy (∼4.0 eV) and a second excited (II) centred around 4.8 eV, which we assign to π-π* nucleobase-localised transitions. The ionic photofragments are identified as I‐ and I‐·[G-H], with the later fragment being produced significantly more strongly than the former. Both photofragments are observed across the two excited states, with production of the iodide being attributed to internal conversion to the ground state followed by evaporation. We trace the formation of the I‐·[G-H] photofragment to initial vertical ionisation of guanine, followed by ejection of a proton. This two-step process is important as it follows known steps in radiation-induced damage to DNA, namely initial formation of a guanine radical cation which then forms a free radical [G-H] moiety through deprotonation. Production of the I‐·[G-H] photofragment is pronounced through II indicating that its formation is enhanced by coupling of the π-π* transitions to the electron detachment continuum.

Resonant Two-Photon Photoelectron Imaging and Intersystem Crossing from Excited Dipole-Bound States of Cold Anions.

We report the observation of a dipole-bound state (DBS) 659 cm-1 below the electron detachment threshold of cryogenically cooled deprotonated 4,4'-biphenol anion (bPh-) and 19 of its lowest vibrational levels. Resonant two-photon photoelectron imaging (R2P-PEI) via the vibrational levels of the DBS displays a sharp peak with a constant binding energy. This observation indicates vertical detachment from the vibrational levels of the DBS to the corresponding neutral levels with the conservation of the vibrational energy, suggesting that the highly diffuse electron in the DBS has little effect on the neutral core. The R2P-PEI spectra also exhibit two features at lower binding energies, which come from intersystem crossings from the DBS to two lower-lying valence-bound triplet excited states of bPh-. The current study discloses the first R2P-PEI spectra from vibrational excited states of a DBS and direct spectroscopic evidence of transitions from a DBS to valence-bound states of anions.

Photodetachment and photoreactions of substituted naphthalene anions in a tandem ion mobility spectrometer.

Substituted naphthalene anions (deprotonated 2-naphthol and 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid) are spectroscopically probed in a tandem drift tube ion mobility spectrometer (IMS). Target anions are selected according to their drift speed through nitrogen buffer gas in the first IMS stage before being exposed to a pulse of tunable light that induces either photodissociation or electron photodetachment, which is conveniently monitored by scavenging the detached electrons with trace SF6 in the buffer gas. The photodetachment action spectrum of the 2-naphtholate anion exhibits a band system spanning 380-460 nm with a prominent series of peaks spaced by 440 cm-1, commencing at 458.5 nm, and a set of weaker peaks near the electron detachment threshold corresponding to transitions to dipole-bound states. The two deprotomers of 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid are separated and spectroscopically probed independently. The molecular anion formed from deprotonation of the hydroxy group gives rise to a photodetachment action spectrum similar to that of the 2-naphtholate anion with an onset at 470 nm and a maximum at 420 nm. Near the threshold, the photoreaction with SF6 is observed with displacement of an OH group by an F atom. In contrast, the anion formed from deprotonation of the carboxylic acid group gives rise to a photodissociation action spectrum, recorded on the CO2 loss channel, lying at much shorter wavelengths with an onset at 360 nm and maximum photoresponse at 325 nm.

Observation of Excited Quadrupole-Bound States in Cold Anions.

We report the first observation of an excited quadrupole-bound state (QBS) in an anion. High-resolution photoelectron imaging of cryogenically cooled 4-cyanophenoxide (4CP^{-}) anions yields an electron detachment threshold of 24 927 cm^{-1}. The photodetachment spectrum reveals a resonant transition 20 cm^{-1} below the detachment threshold, which is attributed to an excited QBS of 4CP^{-} because neutral 4CP has a large quadrupole moment with a negligible dipole moment. The QBS is confirmed by observation of seventeen above-threshold resonances due to autodetachment from vibrational levels of the QBS.

Spontaneous decay of small copper-cluster anionsCun−(n=3–6), on long time scales

We have measured the spontaneous neutral particle emission from copper cluster anions (Cu$_n^-$, $n=3-6$) stored at cryogenic temperatures in one of the electrostatic ion storage rings of the DESIREE (Double ElectroStatic Ion Ring ExpEriment) facility at Stockholm University. The measured rate of emission from the stored Cu$_3^-$ ions follows a single power law decay for about 1 ms but then decreases much more rapidly with time. The latter behavior may be due to a decrease in the density of available final states in Cu$_3$ as the excitation energies of the decaying ions approach the electron detachment threshold. The emissions from Cu$_4^-$, Cu$_5^-$ and Cu$_6^-$ are well-described by sums of two power laws that are quenched by radiative cooling of the stored ions with characteristic times between a few and hundreds of milliseconds. We relate these two-component behaviors to populations of stored ions with higher and lower angular momenta. In a separate experiment, we studied the laser-induced decay of Cu$_6^-$ ions that were excited by 1.13 eV or 1.45 eV photons after 46 milliseconds of storage.

Photodetachment spectroscopy of the beryllium oxide anion, BeO.

The X2Σ+→X1Σ+ anion to neutral ground state photodetachment of BeO- has been studied by means of photoelectron velocity-map imaging spectroscopy in a newly constructed apparatus. Vibrational intervals, rotational constants, and the electron detachment threshold of BeO- were determined for the first time. The small moment of inertia of beryllium oxide allowed for the observation of partially resolved rotational contours. Analyses of these contours provided evidence of several detachment channels resulting from changes in molecular rotational angular momenta of ΔN = 0, ±1, ±2, and ±3. The relative intensities of these detachment channels were found to be a function of the electron kinetic energy. Experimental results are compared to the predictions of high level ab initio calculations.

Single-Photon, Double Photodetachment of Nickel Phthalocyanine Tetrasulfonic Acid 4- Anions.

Single-photon, two-electron photodetachment from nickel phthalocyanine tetrasulfonic acid tetra anions, [NiPc](4-), was examined in the gas-phase using a linear ion trap coupled to the DESIRS VUV beamline of the SOLEIL Synchrotron. This system was chosen since it has a low detachment energy, known charge localization, and well-defined geometrical and electronic structures. A threshold for two-electron loss is observed at 10.2 eV, around 1 eV lower than previously observed double detachment thresholds on multiple charged protein anions. The photodetachment energy of [NiPc](4-) has been previously determined to be 3.5 eV and the photodetachment energy of [NiPc](3-•) is determined in this work to be 4.3 eV. The observed single photon double electron detachment threshold is hence 5.9 eV higher than the energy required for sequential single electron loss. Possible mechanisms are for double photodetachment are discussed. These observations pave the way toward new, exciting experiments for probing double photodetachment at relatively low energies, including correlation measurements on emitted photoelectrons.

Inverse internal conversion in C4(-) below the electron detachment threshold.

Inverse internal conversion followed by recurrent fluorescence was observed as a fast decay (10 μs range) in the time profile of neutral yields from photo-excited C4(-) molecular ions. We also elucidated the contribution of such electronic radiative cooling to the C4(-) ions with internal energy far below the detachment threshold by an alternative novel approach, observing the laser wavelength and storage time dependence (ms range) of the total yield of the photo-induced neutrals.

Ab Initio Potential Energy Curves for the Ground and Low-Lying Excited States of OH and OH– and a Study of Rotational Fine Structure in Photodetachment

Complete basis set extrapolated ab initio potential energy curves obtained from multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) level calculations for the ground state (X(1)Σ(+)) of OH(-), and the ground state (X(2)Π) and the first excited state (A(2)Σ(+)) of OH are reported. The potential energy curves for the excited states A(1)Π, a(3)Π, and b(3)Π of OH(-) have been computed using the V6Z basis set at the MRCI level. Λ-doubling parameters p and q were calculated for the ground and the first excited vibrational states of the ground electronic state of OH using second-order perturbation theory. Using the computed potential energy curves and the rovibrational spectra for photodetachment including the fine splitting, the threshold for electron detachment has been computed. The result is in agreement with the experimental results of Goldfarb et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 1985, 83, 4364].

Ab Initio Potential Energy Curves for the Ground and Low Lying Excited States of NH– and the Effect of 2Σ± States on Λ-Doubling of the Ground State X2Π

Complete basis set extrapolated ab initio potential energy curves obtained from multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) level calculations for the ground state (X(2)Π) and the a(4)Σ(-) state of NH(-) and the ground state (X(3)Σ(-)) of NH are reported. The potential energy curves for the A'(2)Σ(-) and A(2)Σ(+) states of NH(-) have been computed using the V6Z basis set at the MRCI level. Λ-doubling parameters p and q are calculated for the ground and the first excited vibrational states of the ground electronic state of NH(-) using second-orderperturbation theory. The effect of the (2)Σ(+) and (2)Σ(-) states on the Λ-doubling values is discussed. Earlier experiments had not considered the influence of the (2)Σ(-) state on p and q while fitting the spectral data. Using the computed potential energy curves and the ro-vibrational spectra including the fine splitting, we have computed the threshold for electron detachment. The result is in agreement with the experimental values of Neumark et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 1985, 83, 4364] and Farley et al. [Phys. Rev. A 1987, 35, 1099].

Electronic transitions of the C5H− anion

Electronic transitions of the triplet chain C5H− anion were studied using detachment spectroscopy. The system detected in the vicinity of the electron detachment threshold is assigned to the b3A ← a3A transition with a dipole bound state (DBS) character. The second system measured by autodetachment spectroscopy is attributed to the c3A ← a3A Feshbach electronic transition. Negative anharmonicity of the vibrational progression built upon the low frequency CCC in-plane bending mode ν 12 is observed in both DBS and Feshbach states. This indicates a barrier to linearity on the potential energy surface in both excited states. The triplet chain C5H− anion exhibits similar electronic properties to C3H−. Renner-Teller and vibronic effects between the 3A DBS and Feshbach states are inferred and may explain the stabilisation of the DBS. This interaction is weaker in C5H− than C3H− leading to smaller barrier heights on the potential energy surface.

Electronic States of the Ultramarine Chromophore S3 -

The potential energy surfaces and the spin–orbit couplings for states correlating with the lowest dissociation asymptote S2(X 3 Σ - g ) + S-(2 P) of the radical anion of thiozone have been calculated by full valence complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF), internally contracted multi-reference configuration interaction (IC-MRCI) and for some of the states also by restricted coupled cluster with perturbative triples (RCCSD(T)) ab initio methods. For six electronic states lying below the electron detachment threshold: X 2 B 1, A 2 B 2, B 2 A 1, C 2 A 2, 4 Σ g -, and the second 2 A 1, equilibrium geometries and harmonic wavenumbers are reported. For the ground state also anharmonic vibrational levels have been evaluated. Due to the intensity borrowing via vibronic coupling with the B 2 A 1 state also the dipole forbidden A–X transition becomes allowed in the Franck–Condon region of the UV spectrum. The C 2 A 2 state responsible for the blue color of ultramarine correlates adiabatically with the first dissociation asymptote S2(X 3 Σ - g ) + S-(2 P). Along the dissociation path the regions of vibronic and spin–orbit couplings were located. For the R S2 - S larger than about 2.6Å the electron spin-states of the lowest dissociation asymptote are strongly mixed. The properties of the S3 - electronic states are compared with those of O3 -.