Unusual pickup statistics of high-spin alkali agglomerates on helium nanodroplets

Structural, Spectroscopic, and Dynamic Properties of Li2+(X2∑g+) in Interaction with Krypton Atom

We report a computational study of the potential energy surface (PES) and vibrational bound states for the ground electronic state of Li2+Kr. The PES was calculated in Jacobi coordinates at the Restricted Coupled Cluster method RCCSD(T) level of calculation and using aug-cc-pVnZ (n = 4 and 5) basis sets. Afterward, this PES is extrapolated to the complete basis set (CBS) limit for correction. The obtained interaction energies were, then, interpolated numerically using the reproducing kernel Hilbert space polynomial (RKHS) approach to produce analytic expressions for the 2D-PES. The analytical PES is used to solve the nuclear Schrodinger equation to determine the bound states' eigenvalues of Li2+Kr for a J = 0 total angular momentum configuration and to understand the effects of orientational anisotropy of the forces and the interplay between the repulsive and attractive interaction within the potential surface. In addition, the radial and angular distributions of some selected bound state levels, which lie below, around, and above the T-shaped 90° barrier well, are calculated and discussed. We note that the radial distributions clearly acquire a more complicated nodal structure and correspond to bending and stretching vibrational motions "mode" of the Kr atom along the radial coordinate, and the situation becomes very different at the highest bound states levels with energies higher than the T-shaped 90° barrier well. The shape of the distributions becomes even more complicated, with extended angular distributions and prominent differences between even and odd states.

Bonding in the high spin lithium clusters: Non-nuclear attractors play a crucial role

The bonding in lithium high-spin clusters contradicts the usual chemical bonding concept since there are no electron pairs between the atoms, and they are bound with parallel spin electrons. Quantum theory of atoms in molecules and interacting quantum atom analysis (IQA) were used to investigate the nature of bonding in the high-spin Li n n + 1 n = 2 - 5 clusters. Our findings demonstrate that the non-nuclear attractors (NNAs) are an essential component of the high-spin lithium clusters and play a key role in keeping them stable. Based on IQA energy terms, an electrostatic destabilizing interaction between the lithium atoms works against the cluster formation. On the other hand, the interactions between lithium atoms and NNA basins are stabilizing and outweigh the lithium-lithium destabilizing effects. In fact, NNAs tend to draw lithium atoms together and stabilize the resulting cluster. The high-spin clusters of lithium can be regarded as electrostatically driven compounds since the electrostatic components are primarily responsible for the stabilizing interactions between NNAs and Li atoms. The only exception is ³ Li₂ , which lacks NNA and has a non-repellent lithium-lithium interaction. Indeed, in the ³ Li₂ , the interatomic electrostatic component is negligibly small, and the exchange-correlation term leads to a weak bonding interaction.

Stability of "No-Pair Ferromagnetic" Lithium Clusters

High-spin lithium clusters, ⁿ⁺¹Li_n (n = 2-21), have been systematically studied by using density functional theory. Although these high-spin clusters have no bonding electron pairs, they are stable with respect to isolated atoms. A set of 42 density functional theory functionals were benchmarked against CCSD(T)/cc-pVQZ results for clusters from the dimer to the hexamer. For these clusters, the strong non-additivity on the binding energy is analyzed employing a many-body energy decomposition scheme, concluding that most of the binding energy is due to a balance between the three- and four-body contributions. After a quality parameter had been defined, the LC-BP86 functional was identified as the most promising one for the description of high-spin lithium clusters. We employ the dependence of the second energy difference on cluster size to predict the formation of a higher-stability cluster.

Thermodynamic Model for Calculation the Position of Quitting Surface of Supersonic Beam Based on Speed Measurements

For a nozzle jet beam, one fascinating fact is where a transition occurs from continuous to discontinuous beam during the expansion, which is typically known as the quitting surface. In our previous work, we applied a pickup method to investigate the fragmentation properties of water cluster during electron ionization, and we roughly estimated the possible quitting surface position (∼1 to 1.5 mm in front of the nozzle) to make sure the dopants were not accelerated by the beam expansion. Thus, the momentum conservation law can be applied to evaluate the possible fragmented water molecules. In this work, we applied a simple thermodynamic method to more accurately calculate the position of quitting surface of supersonic beam based on speed measurements. From our calculation in this paper, the quitting surface should be exactly located 1 mm in front of the nozzle, and this paper can further support our previous work.

Growing metal nanoparticles in superfluid helium

Helium droplets provide a cold and confined environment where atomic and/or molecular dopants can aggregate into clusters and nanoparticles. In particular, the sequential addition of different materials to helium droplets can lead to the formation of a wide range of nanoparticles, including core-shell nanoparticles, which can then be deposited onto a surface. Here we briefly discuss the fundamental properties of helium droplets and then address their implications for the formation of clusters and nanoparticles. Several key experiments on atomic and molecular clusters will be highlighted and new results obtained for nanoparticles formed in this way will be presented. Finally, the versatility, the limitations and new possibilities provided by superfluid helium droplets in nanoscience and nanotechnology will be addressed.

The submersion of sodium clusters in helium nanodroplets: identification of the surface → interior transition

The submersion of sodium clusters beyond a critical size in helium nanodroplets, which has recently been predicted on theoretical grounds, is demonstrated for the first time. Confirmation of a clear transition from a surface location, which occurs for alkali atoms and small clusters, to full immersion for larger clusters, is provided by identifying the threshold electron energy required to initiate Na(n) cluster ionization. On the basis of these measurements, a lower limit for the cluster size required for submersion, n ≥ 21, has been determined. This finding is consistent with the recent theoretical prediction.

Heteronuclear and homonuclear high-spin alkali trimers on helium nanodroplets

The electronic excitation spectra of all possible homo- and heteronuclear high-spin (quartet) trimers of K and Rb (KxRb(3-x), x=0...3) assembled on the surface of superfluid helium droplets, are measured in the spectral range from 10,600 to 17,400 cm(-1). A regular series of corresponding bands is observed, reflecting the similar electronic structure of all these trimers. For the assignment and separation of overlapping bands, we determine x directly, with mass-selected beam depletion, and indirectly with a V-type double-resonance scheme. The assignment is confirmed by high-level ab initio calculations of the electronic structure of the bare trimers. The level structure is rationalized in terms of harmonic-oscillator states of the three valence electrons in a quantum-dot-like confining potential. We predict that three should be a magic number for high-spin alkali clusters.

Formation and properties of metal clusters isolated in helium droplets

The unique conditions forming atomic and molecular complexes and clusters using superfluid helium nanodroplets have opened up an innovative route for studying the physical and chemical properties of matter on the nanoscale. This review summarizes the specific characteristics of the formation of atomic clusters partly generated far from equilibrium in the helium environment. Special emphasis is on the optical response, electronic properties as well as dynamical processes which are mostly affected by the surrounding quantum matrix. Experiments include the optical induced response of isolated cluster systems in helium under quite different excitation conditions ranging from the linear regime up to the violent interaction with a strong laser field leading to Coulomb explosion and the generation of highly charged atomic fragments. The variety of results on the outstanding properties in the quantum size regime highlights the peculiar capabilities of helium nanodroplet isolation spectroscopy.

Formation and stability of high-spin alkali clusters

Helium nanodroplet isolation has been applied to agglomerate alkali clusters at temperatures of 380 mK. The very weak binding to the surface of the droplets allows a selection of only weakly bound, high-spin states. Here we show that larger clusters of alkali atoms in high-spin states can be formed. The lack of strong bonds from pairing electrons makes these systems nonmetallic, van der Waals-like complexes of metal atoms. We find that sodium and potassium readily form such clusters containing up to 25 atoms. In contrast, this process is suppressed for rubidium and cesium. Apparently, for these heavy alkalis, larger high-spin aggregates are not stable and depolarize spontaneously upon cluster formation.