Molecular Beam Magnetic Resonance in Doped Helium Nanodroplets. A Setup for Optically Detected ESR/NMR in the Presence of Unresolved Zeeman Splittings

Metal clusters synthesized in helium droplets: structure and dynamics from experiment and theory

Metal clusters have drawn continuous interest because of their high potential for the assembly of matter with special properties that may significantly differ from the corresponding bulk. Controlled combination of particular elements in one nanoparticle can increase the options for the creation of new materials for photonic, catalytic, or electronic applications. Superfluid helium droplets provide confinement and ultralow temperature, i.e. an ideal environment for the atom-by-atom aggregation of a new nanoparticle. This perspective presents a review of the current research progress on the synthesis of tailored metal and metal oxide clusters including core-shell designs, their characterization within the helium droplet beam, deposition on various solid substrates, and analysis via surface diagnostics. Special attention is given to the thermal properties of mixed metal clusters and questions about alloy formation on the nanoscale. Experimental results are accompanied by theoretical approaches employing computational chemistry, molecular dynamics simulations and He density functional theory.

An intense source for cold cluster ions of a specific composition

The demand for nanoscale materials of ultra-high purity and narrow size distribution is addressed. Clusters of Au, C₆₀, H₂O, and serine are produced inside helium nanodroplets using a combination of ionization, mass filtering, collisions with atomic or molecular vapor, and electrostatic extraction, in a specific and novel sequence. The helium droplets are produced in an expansion of cold helium gas through a nozzle into vacuum. The droplets are ionized by electron bombardment and subjected to a mass filter. The ionic and mass-selected helium droplets are then guided through a vacuum chamber filled with atomic or molecular vapor where they collide and "pick up" the vapor. The dopants then agglomerate inside the helium droplets around charge centers to singly charged clusters. Evaporation of the helium droplets is induced by collisions in a helium-filled radio frequency (RF)-hexapole, which liberates the cluster ions from the host droplets. The clusters are analyzed with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. It is demonstrated that using this sequence, the size distribution of the dopant cluster ions is distinctly narrower compared to ionization after pickup. Likewise, the ion cluster beam is more intense. The mass spectra show, as well, that ion clusters of the dopants can be produced with only few helium atoms attached, which will be important for messenger spectroscopy. All these findings are important for the scientific research of clusters and nanoscale materials in general.

Spectroscopy and Dynamics of K Atoms on Argon Clusters

We present a combined experimental and simulation study of the 4s → 4p photoexcitation of the K atom trapped at the surface of ArN clusters made of a few hundred Ar atoms. Our experimental method based on photoelectron spectroscopy allows us to firmly establish that one single K atom is trapped at the surface of the cluster. The absorption spectrum is characterized by the splitting of the atomic absorption line into two broad bands, a Π band associated with p orbitals parallel to the cluster surface and a Σ band associated with the perpendicular orientation. The spectrum is consistent with observations reported for K atoms trapped on lighter inert gas clusters, but the splitting between the Π and Σ bands is significantly larger. We show that a large amount of K atoms are transiently stuck and eventually lost by the Ar cluster, in contrast with previous observations reported for alkaline earth metal systems. The excitation in the Σ band leads systematically to the ejection of the K atom from the Ar cluster. On the contrary, excitation in the Π band leads to the formation of a bound state. In this case, the analysis of the experimental photoelectron spectrum by means of nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulation shows that the relaxation drives the system toward a basin where the coordination of the K atom is 2.2 Ar atoms on the average, in a poorly structured surface.

Photoinduced molecular dissociation and photoinduced recombination mediated by superfluid helium nanodroplets

Photoinduced predissociation of Cr₂ in helium nanodroplets causes stable, quantum state specific spatial separation followed by geminate recombination upon photoionization.

One- and two-color resonant photoionization spectroscopy of chromium-doped helium nanodroplets

We investigate the photoinduced relaxation dynamics of Cr atoms embedded into superfluid helium nanodroplets. One- and two-color resonant two-photon ionization (1CR2PI and 2CR2PI, respectively) are applied to study the two strong ground state transitions z⁷P_2,3,4^° ← a⁷S₃ and y⁷P_2,3,4^° ← a⁷S₃. Upon photoexcitation, Cr* atoms are ejected from the droplet in various excited states, as well as paired with helium atoms as Cr*–He_n exciplexes. For the y⁷P_2,3,4^° intermediate state, comparison of the two methods reveals that energetically lower states than previously identified are also populated. With 1CR2PI we find that the population of ejected z⁵P₃^° states is reduced for increasing droplet size, indicating that population is transferred preferentially to lower states during longer interaction with the droplet. In the 2CR2PI spectra we find evidence for generation of bare Cr atoms in their septet ground state (a⁷S₃) and metastable quintet state (a⁵S₂), which we attribute to a photoinduced fast excitation–relaxation cycle mediated by the droplet. A fraction of Cr atoms in these ground and metastable states is attached to helium atoms, as indicated by blue wings next to bare atom spectral lines. These relaxation channels provide new insight into the interaction of excited transition metal atoms with helium nanodroplets.

Laser ionization and spectroscopy of Cu in superfluid helium nanodroplets

Mass and optical spectroscopic methods are used for the analysis of copper (Cu) atoms and clusters doped to helium nanodroplets (He_N). A two-color resonant two-photon ionization scheme is applied to study the Cu ²P[Formula: see text]S_1/2 ground state transition. The absorption is strongly broadened for Cu atoms submerged inside helium nanodroplets and a comparison with computed literature values is provided. An observed ejection of the dopant from the droplet is triggered upon excitation, populating energetically lower states. The formation of Cu _n clusters up to Cu₇ inside helium nanodroplets was observed by means of electron impact ionization mass spectroscopy.

Electronic relaxation after resonant laser excitation of Cr in superfluid helium nanodroplets

Chromium (Cr) atoms embedded into helium nanodroplets (HeN) are ejected from the droplets upon photoexcitation. During ejection they undergo electronic relaxation resulting in bare Cr atoms in various excited states. In a study of the relaxation process we present absorption spectra observed via laser induced fluorescence and beam depletion as well as dispersed fluorescence spectra and time-resolved fluorescence measurements. Broad and shifted absorption structures were found for the strong z(7)P° ← a(7)S3 and y(7)P° ← a(7)S3 excitations from the ground state. Emission lines are, in contrast, very narrow, which indicates that fluorescence is obtained from bare excited Cr atoms after ejection. Upon excitation into the y(7)P2,3,4° states we observed fluorescence from y(7)P2°, z(5)P1,2,3°, and z(7)P2,3,4°, indicating that these states are populated by electronic relaxation during the ejection processes. Relative population ratios are obtained from the intensities of individual spectral lines. Excitation into the z(7)P2,3,4° states resulted in fluorescence only from z(7)P2°. Estimates of the time duration of the ejection process are obtained from time-resolved measurements.

Shifts in the ESR spectra of alkali-metal atoms (Li, Na, K, Rb) on helium nanodroplets

He-droplet-induced changes of the hyperfine structure constants of alkali-metal atoms are investigated by a combination of relativistically corrected ab initio methods with a simulation of the helium density distribution based on He density functional theory. Starting from an accurate description of the variation of the hyperfine structure constant in the M-He diatomic systems (M=Li, Na, K, Rb) as a function of the interatomic distance we simulate the shifts induced by droplets of up to 10,000 (4)He atoms. All theoretical predictions for the relative shifts in the isotropic hyperfine coupling constants of the alkali-metal atoms attached to helium droplets of different size are then tied to a single, experimentally derived parameter of Rb.

87Rb electron spin resonance on helium nanodroplets: the influence of optical pumping

Hyperfine resolved electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements of single rubidium ((87)Rb) atoms isolated on superfluid helium nanodroplets are presented. In accordance with our previous work on (85)Rb, we find a relative increase of the hyperfine constant a(HFS) by about 400 ppm, depending on the size of the droplets. In order to optimize the ESR signal intensities, the processes of optical pumping of Rb atoms on helium droplets and of optical detection of the ESR transitions are investigated in detail. Both the laser intensity and polarization influences the ESR signal intensities. A simple model for optical pumping of Rb atoms on helium droplets is presented, which agrees well with the experimental results.