Vacuum Ultraviolet Pulsed Field Ionization-photoelectron Research Articles

A vacuum ultraviolet laser pulsed field ionization-photoion study of methane (CH4): determination of the appearance energy of methylium from methane with unprecedented precision and the resulting impact on the bond dissociation energies of CH4 and CH4.

We report on the successful implementation of a high-resolution vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) laser pulsed field ionization-photoion (PFI-PI) detection method for the study of unimolecular dissociation of quantum-state- or energy-selected molecular ions. As a test case, we have determined the 0 K appearance energy (AE0) for the formation of methylium, CH3+, from methane, CH4, as AE0(CH3+/CH4) = 14.32271 ± 0.00013 eV. This value has a significantly smaller error limit, but is otherwise consistent with previous laboratory and/or synchrotron-based studies of this dissociative photoionization onset. Furthermore, the sum of the VUV laser PFI-PI spectra obtained for the parent CH4+ ion and the fragment CH3+ ions of methane is found to agree with the earlier VUV pulsed field ionization-photoelectron (VUV-PFI-PE) spectrum of methane, providing unambiguous validation of the previous interpretation that the sharp VUV-PFI-PE step observed at the AE0(CH3+/CH4) threshold ensues because of higher PFI detection efficiency for fragment CH3+ than for parent CH4+. This, in turn, is a consequence of the underlying high-n Rydberg dissociation mechanism for the dissociative photoionization of CH4, which was proposed in previous synchrotron-based VUV-PFI-PE and VUV-PFI-PEPICO studies of CH4. The present highly accurate 0 K dissociative ionization threshold for CH4 can be utilized to derive accurate values for the bond dissociation energies of methane and methane cation. For methane, the straightforward application of sequential thermochemistry via the positive ion cycle leads to some ambiguity because of two competing VUV-PFI-PE literature values for the ionization energy of methyl radical. The ambiguity is successfully resolved by applying the Active Thermochemical Tables (ATcT) approach, resulting in D0(H-CH3) = 432.463 ± 0.027 kJ mol-1 and D0(H-CH3+) = 164.701 ± 0.038 kJ mol-1.

Rotationally Resolved Vacuum Ultraviolet Pulsed Field Ionization-Photoelectron Vibrational Bands for H2+ (X2g+,v+=0-18)

We have obtained a rotationally resolved vacuum ultraviolet pulsed field ionization-photoelectron (VUV-PFI-PE) spectrum of H2 in the energy range of 15.30-18.09 eV, covering the ionization transitions {H2}+(X2g+, v+=0-18, N+=0-5)H2(X1g+, v=0, J=0-4). The assignment of the rotational transitions resolved in the VUV-PFI-PE vibrational bands for {H2}+(X2g+, v+=0-18) and their simulation using the Buckingham-Orr-Sichel (BOS) model are presented. Only the N=N+ - J=0 and 2 rotational branches are observed in the VUV-PFI-PE spectrum of H2. However, the vibrational band is increasingly dominated by the N=0 rotational branch as v+ is increased. The BOS simulation reveals that the perturbation of VUV-PFI-PE rotational line intensities by near-resonance autoionizing Rydberg states is minor at v+ 6 and decreases as v+ is increased. Thus, the rotationally resolved PFI-PE bands for {H2}+(v+ 6) presented here provide reliable estimates of state-to-state cross sections for direct photoionization of H2, while the rotationally resolved PFI-PE bands for {H2}+(v+ 5) are useful data for fundamental understanding of the near resonance autoionizing mechanism. On the basis of the rovibrational assignment of the VUV-PFI-PE spectrum of H2, the ionization energies for the formation of {H2}+(X2g+, v+=0-18, N+=0-5) from {H2}+(X1g+, v=0, J=0-4), the vibrational constants (e, ee, !US!eye, and !US!eze), the rotational constants (Bv+, Dv+, Be, and e), and the vibrational energy spacings G(v++1/2) for {H2}+(X2g+, v+=0-18) are determined. With a significantly higher photoelectron energy resolution achieved in the present study, the precisions of these spectroscopic values are higher than those obtained in the previous photoelectron studies. As expected, the spectroscopic results for {H2}+(X2g+, v+=0-18) derived from this VUV-PFI-PE study are in excellent agreement with high-level theoretical predictions.

Rotationally resolved vacuum ultraviolet pulsed field ionization-photoelectron vibrational bands for HD+(XΣg+2,v+=–20)

The authors have obtained rotationally resolved vacuum ultraviolet pulsed field ionization-photoelectron (vuv-PFI-PE) spectrum of HD in the photon energy range of 15.29-18.11 eV, covering the ionization transitions HD+(X 2Sigmag+,v+=0-21,N+)<--HD(X 1Sigmag+,v"=0,J"). The assignment of rotational transitions resolved in the vuv-PFI-PE vibrational bands for HD+(X 2Sigmag+,v+=0-20) and their simulation using the Buckingham-Orr-Sichel (BOS) model are presented. Rotational branches corresponding to the DeltaN=N+-J"=0, +/-1, +/-2, +/-3, and +/-4 transitions are observed in the vuv-PFI-PE spectrum of HD. The BOS simulation shows that the perturbation of vuv-PFI-PE rotational line intensities due to near resonance autoionization is very minor at v+>or=5 and decreases as v+ is increased. Thus, the rotationally resolved PFI-PE bands for HD+(v+>or=5) presented here provide reliable estimates of state-to-state cross sections for direct photoionization of HD, while the rotationally resolved PFI-PE bands for HD+(v+<5) are useful data for fundamental understanding of the near resonance autoionizing mechanism. On the basis of the rovibrational assignment of the vuv-PFI-PE bands, the ionization energies for the formation of HD+(X 2Sigmag+,v+=0-20,N+) from HD(X 1Sigmag+,v"=0,J") and the vibrational constants (omegae, omegaechie, omegaeye, and omegaeze), the rotational constants (Be and alphae), the vibrational energy spacings, and the dissociation energy for HD+(X 2Sigmag+) are determined. As expected, these values are found to be in excellent agreement with high level theoretical predictions.

A Combined VUV Synchrotron Pulsed Field Ionization-Photoelectron and IR−VUV Laser Photoion Depletion Study of Ammonia

The synchrotron based vacuum ultraviolet-pulsed field ionization-photoelectron (VUV-PFI-PE) spectrum of ammonia (NH(3)) has been measured in the energy range 10.12-12.12 eV using a room-temperature NH(3) sample. In addition to extending the VUV-PFI-PE measurement to include the v(2)(+) = 0, 10, 11, 12, and 13 and the v(1)(+) + nv(2)(+) (n = 4-9) vibrational bands, the present study also reveals photoionization transition line strengths for higher rotational levels of NH(3), which were not examined in previous PFI-PE studies. Here, v(1)(+) and v(2)(+) represent the N-H symmetric stretching and inversion vibrational modes of the ammonia cation (NH(3)(+)), respectively. The relative PFI-PE band intensities for NH(3)(+)(v(2)(+)=0-13) are found to be in general agreement with the calculated Franck-Condon factors. However, rotational simulation indicates that rotational photoionization transitions of the P-branches, particularly those for the lower v(2)(+) PFI-PE bands, are strongly enhanced by forced rotational autoionization. For the synchrotron based VUV-PFI-PE spectrum of the origin band of NH(3)(+), rotational transition intensities of the P-branch are overwhelming compared to those of other rotational branches. Similar to that observed for the nv(2)(+) (n = 0-13) levels, the v(1)(+) + nv(2)(+) (n = 4-9) levels are found to have a positive anharmonicity constant; i.e., the vibrational spacing increases as n is increased. The VUV laser PFI-PE measurement of the origin band has also been made using a supersonically cooled NH(3) sample. The analysis of this band has allowed the direct determination of the ionization energy of NH(3) as 82158.2 +/- 1.0 cm(-1), which is in good accord with the previous PFI-PE and photoionization efficiency measurements. Using the known nd(v(2)(+)=1,1(0)<--0(0)) Rydberg series of NH(3) as an example, we have demonstrated a valuable method based on two-color infrared-VUV-photoion depletion measurements for determining the rotational character of autoionizing Rydberg states.

A vacuum ultraviolet pulsed field ionization-photoelectron study of cyanogen cation in the energy range of 13.2–15.9 eV

The vacuum ultraviolet pulsed field ionization-photoelectron and photoionization efficiency spectra of NCCN have been measured in the energy region of 13.25-17.75 eV. The analyses of these spectra have provided accurate ionization energy (IE) values of 13.371+/-0.001, 14.529+/-0.001, 14.770+/-0.001, and 15.516+/-0.001 eV for the formation of NCCN(+) in the X(2)Pi(g), A(2)Sigma(g) (+), B(2)Sigma(u) (+), and C(2)Pi(u) states, respectively. The ionization energy [NCCN(+)(B(2)Sigma(u) (+))] value determined here indicates that the origin of the NCCN(+)(B(2)Sigma(u) (+)) state lies lower in energy by 25 meV than previously reported. A set of spectroscopic parameters for NCCN(+)(X(2)Pi(g)) has been calculated using high level ab initio calculations. The experimental spectra are found to consist of ionizing transitions populating the vibronic levels of NCCN(+), which consist of pure vibronic progressions, combination modes involving the symmetric CN stretch, the CC stretch, and even quanta of the antisymmetric CN stretch, and bending vibrations. These bands are identified with the guidance of the present ab initio calculations.

Single-photon vacuum-ultraviolet laser-pulsed-field ionization-photoelectron studies of trans- and cis-1-bromopropenes.

The vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) pulsed-field ionization-photoelectron (VUV-PFI-PE) spectra of trans-1-bromopropene (trans-CH(3)CH[Double Bond]CHBr) and cis-1-bromopropene (cis-CH(3)CH[Double Bond]CHBr) have been measured in the energy region of 74 720-76 840 cm(-1). The simulation of fine structures observed in the origin VUV-PFI-PE vibrational bands of these molecules has provided the ionization energies (IEs) of trans-1-bromopropene and cis-1-bromopropene to be 74 779.3+/-2.0 cm(-1) (9.2715+/-0.0002 eV) and 75 140.2+/-2.0 cm(-1) (9.3162+/-0.0002 eV), respectively. The vibrational bands resolved in these VUV-PFI-PE spectra at energies 0-1700 cm(-1) above the IEs of trans-1-bromopropene and cis-1-bromopropene have been assigned based on theoretical vibrational frequencies and calculated Franck-Condon factors for the ionization transitions.

Pulsed field ionization-photoelectron bands for CS2+ in the energy range of 13.2–17.6 eV: An experimental and theoretical study

Vacuum ultraviolet pulsed field ionization-photoelectron (PFI-PE) spectra for CS2 have been obtained in the energy range of 13.2–17.6 eV, revealing complex vibronic structures for the CS2+(B̃ 2Σu+ and C̃ 2Σg+) states. The PFI-PE spectra for CS2+(B̃ 2Σu+ and C̃ 2Σg+) are dominated by the ν1+ (symmetric stretching) mode. However, PFI-PE bands due to the ν2+ (bending) and ν3+ (antisymmetric stretching) modes with both even and odd quanta are clearly resolved. The simulation of rotational contours resolved in the origin PFI-PE bands yields accurate ionization energies of 14.4742±0.0005 eV (116 742±4 cm−1) and 16.1883±0.0005 eV (130 567±4 cm−1) for the formation of CS2+(B̃ 2Σu+ and C̃ 2Σg+) states from CS2(X̃ 1Σg+), respectively. The PFI-PE bands for Σu+2(302) and Σg+2(303) at 14.805 and 14.965 eV, which are in near energy resonance with the 0 K dissociation thresholds for the formation of S+(4S)+CS(X 1Σ+; ν″=0 and 1) from CS2, respectively, are found to be enhanced. These enhancements are rationalized by the prompt dissociation of excited CS2 in high-n (n⩾100) Rydberg states prior to PFI. Three-dimensional potential energy functions (PEFs) for CS2+(2 2Πu, B̃ 2Σu+, and C̃ 2Σg+) states have been generated theoretically using the complete active space self-consistent field and internally contracted multireference configuration interaction methods. On the basis of these PEFs, the harmonic frequencies for CS2+(2 2Πu, B̃ 2Σu+, and C̃ 2Σg+) and vibronic energy levels for CS2+(B̃ 2Σu+) have been calculated variationally. These theoretical predictions have made possible a satisfactory assignment of the vibronic bands resolved in the PFI-PE spectra for CS2+(B̃ 2Σu+ and C̃ 2Σg+). Using the theoretical predictions obtained here, we have also assigned vibronic bands for CS2+(2 2Πu) observed in the HeI photoelectron spectrum [Baltzer et al., Chem. Phys. 202, 185 (1996)].

Vacuum ultraviolet laser pulsed field ionization photoelectron study of cis-2-butene

The vacuum ultraviolet pulsed field ionization-photoelectron spectra of supersonically cooled cis-2-butene (cis-CH3CH=CHCH3) have been measured in the photon energy range of 73 560–75 460 cm−1. Using the ab initio theoretical rotational constants of cis-CH3CH=CHCH3 and its cation (cis-CH3CH=CHCH3+) and a semiempirical simulation scheme, we have obtained a good fit of the origin vibrational band with partially resolved contours of rotational branches. After taking into account the Stark shift, the ionization energy of cis-CH3CH=CHCH3 is determined to be 73 595.0±1.5 cm−1. Guided by ab initio vibrational frequency calculations, we have also assigned the vibrational bands observed for cis-CH3CH=CHCH3+ in its ground state.

Vacuum ultraviolet pulsed field ionization-photoelectron study of OCS in the energy range of 15–19 eV

Vacuum ultraviolet pulsed field ionization-photoelectron (PFI-PE) spectra for OCS have been obtained in the energy range 15.0–19.0 eV, covering the vibronic bands of OCS+ (A 2Π, B 2Σ+, and C 2Σ+). The ionization energies for the formation of the ground vibrational levels of OCS+ (A 2Π3/2, A 2Π1/2, B 2Σ+, and C 2Σ+) from the ground OCS(X 1Σ+) state have been determined as 15.0759±0.0005 eV, 15.0901±0.0005 eV, 16.0403±0.0005 eV, and 17.9552±0.0005 eV, respectively. We have also generated the theoretical adiabatic three dimensional potential energy functions (PEFs) for OCS+(A 2Π) by employing the complete active space self-consistent field and internally contracted multireference configuration interaction methods. Using these PEFs, the spectroscopic constants and low-lying rovibronic energy levels for OCS+(A 2Π) are calculated variationally. These calculations have made possible the identification of many PFI-PE vibronic bands for OCS+(A 2Π), which are originated from vibronic and Fermi resonance interactions. Owing to the different equilibrium geometries between the OCS+(A 2Π) and OCS(X 1Σ+) states, the PFI-PE spectrum for OCS+(A 2Π) exhibits a long vibronic progression extending well above the OCS+(B 2Σ+) state. On the contrary, the PFI-PE spectra for OCS+ (B 2Σ+ and C 2Σ+) are overwhelmingly dominated by the ground (0,0,0) bands, exhibiting only weak vibrational progressions.

High resolution pulsed field ionization–photoelectron study of CO2+(X 2Πg) in the energy range of 13.6–14.7 eV

The vacuum ultraviolet pulsed field ionization–photoelectron (PFI–PE) spectra for CO2 have been measured in the energy range of 13.6–14.7 eV, revealing complex vibronic structures for the ground CO2+(X 2Πg) state. Many vibronic bands for CO2+(X 2Πg), which were not resolved in previous photoelectron studies, are identified in the present measurement based on comparison with available optical data and theoretical predictions. As observed in the HeI photoelectron spectrum of CO2, the PFI–PE spectrum is dominated by the symmetry allowed ν1+ (symmetric stretch) vibrational progression for CO2+(X 2Πg). However, PFI–PE vibronic bands due to excitation of the symmetry disallowed ν2+ (bending) and ν3+ (asymmetric stretch) modes with both odd quanta, together with the symmetry allowed even quanta excitations, are clearly discernible. The simulation of rotational contours resolved in PFI–PE vibronic bands associated with excitation to the (ν1+=0–1, ν2+=0–2, ν3+=0) vibrational levels has yielded accurate ionization energies for the formation of these vibronic states from CO2(X 1Σg+).

A high-resolution vacuum ultraviolet photoionization, photoelectron, and pulsed field ionization study of CS2 near the CS2+(X 2Π3/2,1/2) thresholds

High-resolution photoionization efficiency (PIE) and pulsed field ionization photoelectron (PFI-PE) spectra for CS2 have been measured using coherent vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) laser radiation in the energy range of 81 050–82 100 cm−1. The PIE and threshold photoelectron (TPE) spectra for CS2 in the energy range of 80 850–82 750 cm−1 have also been obtained using synchrotron radiation for comparison with results of the VUV laser study. The analysis of the PIE spectra reveals three Rydberg series converging to the excited CS2+(2Π1/2) spin–orbit state. These series, with quantum defects of 1.430, 1.616, and 0.053, are associated with the [2Π1/2]npσu, [2Π1/2]npπu, and [2Π1/2]nfu configurations, respectively. The Stark shift effect on the ionization threshold of CS2 has been examined as a function of dc electric fields (F) in the range of 0.65–1071 V/cm. The observed F dependence of the Stark shift for the ionization onset of CS2 is consistent with the prediction by the classical adiabatic field ionization formula. The extrapolation of the ionization onset to zero F yields accurate values for IE[CS2+(X̃ 2Π3/2)]. This study shows that in order to determine accurate IEs and to probe autoionizing structures for molecular species by PIE measurements, it is necessary to minimize the electric field used for ion extraction. The assignment of Renner–Teller structures resolved in the VUV PFI-PE spectrum is guided by the recent nonresonant two-photon (N2P) PFI-PE and theoretical studies. The analysis of the PFI-PE spectrum also yields accurate values for IE[CS2+(X̃ 2Π3/2,1/2)]. Taking average of the IE values determined by VUV-PFI-PE, N2P-PFI-PE, and Stark field extrapolation methods, we obtain a value of 81 285.7±2.8 cm−1 for IE[CS2+(X̃ 2Π3/2)]. For IE[CS2+(2Π1/2)], we recommend a value of 81 727.1±0.5 cm−1 determined by the Rydberg series analysis. A theoretical simulation of the 2Π3/2(000) and 2Π1/2(000) VUV-PFI-PE band profiles reproduces the observed branching ratio of 1.9±0.3 for CS2+(X̃ 2Π3/2)/CS2+(2Π1/2). The relative intensities of vibronic structures observed in the VUV PFI-PE and TPE spectra are in agreement. Evidence is found, indicating that the strongly (Stark field induced) autoionizing Rydberg state, 17pσu, which is ≈10 cm−1 below the IE of CS2, has a minor contribution to the observed profile for the X̃ 2Π3/2(000) PFI-PE band.