Femtosecond Photoelectron Imaging on Pyrazine: S1 → T1 Intersystem Crossing and Rotational Coherence Transfer

Conformational preference and cationic structure of 2-methylpyrazine by VUV-MATI spectroscopy and natural bond orbital analysis

Alkylpyrazines, which are well-known as aromatic substances and traditional medicines, are interesting molecular systems, and their methyl conformations result in unique structural and dynamical properties.

Anisotropy in Time-Resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy in the Gas Phase

Transient absorption anisotropy is a well-established technique in time-resolved liquid phase spectroscopy. Here, we show how the technique is applied in the gas phase for time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and what type of additional information can be obtained as compared to other techniques. We exemplify its use by presenting results on rotational revivals in pyrazine after excitation at 324 nm and provide new insights into two recent experiments: (i) the difference between Rydberg and valence state excitation after one- and two-photon absorption in butadiene and (ii) excitation to the two lowest lying vibronic modes of the degenerate π3p Rydberg state in 1-azabicyclo[2.2.0]octane. Going forward, we expect the technique to be used on a regular basis, especially with the advent of high harmonic probe sources and liquid beam setups where other techniques to extract polarization-dependent information such as velocity map imaging cannot easily be applied.

Time-resolved photoelectron imaging with a femtosecond vacuum-ultraviolet light source: Dynamics in the A∼/B∼- and F∼-bands of SO2

Time-resolved photoelectron imaging is demonstrated using the third harmonic of a 400-nm femtosecond laser pulse as the ionization source. The resulting 133-nm pulses are combined with 266-nm pulses to study the excited-state dynamics in the A∼/B∼- and F∼-band regions of SO₂. The photoelectron signal from the molecules excited to the A∼/B∼-band does not decay for at least several picoseconds, reflecting the population of bound states. The temporal variation of the photoelectron angular distribution (PAD) reflects the creation of a rotational wave packet in the excited state. In contrast, the photoelectron signal from molecules excited to the F∼-band decays with a time constant of 80 fs. This time constant is attributed to the motion of the excited-state wave packet out of the ionization window. The observed time-dependent PADs are consistent with the F∼ band corresponding to a Rydberg state of dominant s character. These results establish low-order harmonic generation as a promising tool for time-resolved photoelectron imaging of the excited-state dynamics of molecules, simultaneously giving access to low-lying electronic states, as well as Rydberg states, and avoiding the ionization of unexcited molecules.

The involvement of triplet receiver states in the ultrafast excited state processes of small esters

The photoinduced processes of methyl formate and methyl acetate have been probed by femtosecond time-resolved mass spectrometry and photoelectron spectroscopy experiments supported by quantum chemical calculations.

Overlapping resonances interference-induced transparency: the S0 → S2/S1 photoexcitation spectrum of pyrazine

The phenomenon of "overlapping resonances interference-induced transparency" (ORIT) is introduced and studied in detail for the S(0) → S(2)/S(1) photoexcitation of cold pyrazine (C(4)H(4)N(2)). In ORIT, a molecule becomes transparent at specific wavelengths due to interferences between envelopes of spectral lines displaying overlapping resonances. An example is the S(2) ↔ S(1) internal conversion in pyrazine where destructive interference between overlapping resonances causes the S(0) → S(2)/S(1) light absorption to disappear at certain wavelengths. ORIT may be of practical importance in multi-component mixtures where it would allow for the selective excitation of some molecules in preference to others. Interference-induced cross section enhancement is also shown.

Quantum chemical insights into the aggregation induced emission phenomena: a QM/MM study for pyrazine derivatives

There have been intensive studies on the newly discovered phenomena called aggregation induced emission (AIE), in contrast to the conventional aggregation quenching. Through combined quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics computations, we have investigated the aggregation effects on the excited state decays, both via radiative and nonradiative routes, for pyrazine derivatives 2,3-dicyano-5,6-diphenylpyrazine (DCDPP) and 2,3-dicyanopyrazino phenanthrene (DCPP) in condensed phase. We show that for DCDPP there appear AIE for all the temperature, because the phenyl ring torsional motions in gas phase can efficiently dissipate the electronic excited state energy, and get hindered in aggregate; while for its "locked"-phenyl counterpart, DCPP, theoretical calculation can only give the normal aggregation quenching. These first-principles based findings are consistent with recent experiment. The primary origin of the exotic AIE phenomena is due to the nonradiative decay effects. This is the first time that AIE is understood based on theoretical chemistry calculations for aggregates, which helps to resolve the present disputes over the mechanism.

Ultrafast dynamics of o-bromofluorobenzene studied by time-resolved photoelectron imaging

Photodissociation dynamics and rotational wave packet coherences of o-bromofluorobenzene are studied by femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron imaging [figure: see text]. The decay of different photoelectron rings shows the population decay of states from which the lifetimes of different states are determined. The variation of photoelectron angular distributions reflects the evolution of rotational coherences.Photodissociation dynamics and rotational wave packet coherences of o-bromofluorobenzene are studied by femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron imaging (TR-PEI) spectroscopy combined with the (1+2') resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI). Photoelectron kinetic energy and angular distributions indicate ionization dynamics from some Rydberg states at the (1+1') photon energy. The lifetimes of the S(1) (A') and T(2) (A') states are determined from the decay of the photoelectron signals to be 38 ps and 27 ps. The electron population decay of the two states is attributed to predissociation and tunneling dissociation. The variation of time-dependent anisotropy parameters in the first 5 ps shows the rotational wave coherences of molecule.

Photoelectron studies on vibronic coupling in pyrazine

Ionization pathways from the S(1) and T(1) states of pyrazine are investigated using one- and two-photon ionization of the excited state by both resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization photoelectron spectroscopy and zero electron kinetic energy pulsed field ionization techniques. For the triplet manifold, we show that two-photon ionization of T(1) is enhanced by a vibronically induced resonance for which we determine the inducing mode and the nature of the intermediate state, as well as the (3)3s(n(-1)) Rydberg state. For the singlet manifold, we identify the mode responsible for the vibronically induced intensity of a 3p Rydberg state that was previously found to greatly perturb the 1+2(') photoelectron spectrum of S(1) by a resonance at the two-photon level.

Numerical simulation of nonadiabatic electron excitation in the strong-field regime. 3. Polyacene neutrals and cations

The electron optical response for a series of linear polyacenes and their molecular ions (mono and dications) in strong laser fields was studied using time-dependent Hartree-Fock theory. The interactions of benzene, naphthalene, anthracene, and tetracene with pulsed fields at a frequency of 1.55 eV and intensities of 8.77 x 10(13), 3.07 x 10(13), 1.23 x 10(13), and 2.75 x 10(12) W/cm2, respectively, were calculated using the 6-31G(d,p) basis set. Nonadiabatic processes, including nonadiabatic time evolution of the dipole moment, Löwden charges, and occupation numbers, were studied. The nonadiabatic response increased with the length of the molecule and was greatest for the molecular monocations. The only exception was tetracene, in which the very strong response of the dication was due to a near resonance with the applied field. The intensity and frequency dependence of the dipole moment response for the monocations of naphthalene and anthracene was also calculated. As the intensity increased, the population of higher-energy excited-states increased, and as the frequency increased, the excitation volume increased in good agreement with the Dykhne approximation.

Femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron imaging

Femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron imaging (TRPEI) is a variant of time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy used in the study of gas-phase photoinduced dynamics. A new observable, time-dependent photoionization-differential cross section provides useful information on wave-packet motions, electronic dephasing, and photoionization dynamics. This review describes fundamental issues and the most recent works involving TRPEI.

Femtosecond lasers in gas phase chemistry

This critical review is intended to provide an overview of the state-of-the-art in femtosecond laser technology and recent applications in ultrafast gas phase chemical dynamics. Although "femtochemistry" is not a new subject, there have been some tremendous advances in experimental techniques during the last few years. Time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and ultrafast electron diffraction have enabled us to observe molecular dynamics through a wider window. Attosecond laser sources, which have so far only been exploited in atomic physics, have the potential to probe chemical dynamics on an even faster timescale and observe the motions of electrons. Huge progress in pulse shaping and pulse characterisation methodology is paving the way for exciting new advances in the field of coherent control.