Rovibrational structure of NO+2 and state‐to‐state dynamics in the high‐resolution threshold photoionization of NO2

mm-wave Rydberg-Rydberg transitions gauge intermolecular coupling in a molecular ultracold plasma

Out-of-equilibrium, strong correlation in a many-body system can trigger emergent properties that act to constrain the natural dissipation of energy and matter. Signs of such self-organization appear in the avalanche, bifurcation, and quench of a state-selected Rydberg gas of nitric oxide to form an ultracold, strongly correlated ultracold plasma. Work reported here focuses on initial stages of avalanche and quench, and uses the mm-wave spectroscopy of an embedded quantum probe to characterize the intermolecular interaction dynamics associated with the evolution to plasma. Double-resonance excitation prepares a Rydberg gas of nitric oxide composed of a single selected state of principal quantum number, n0. Penning ionization, followed by an avalanche of electron-Rydberg collisions, forms a plasma of NO+ ions and weakly bound electrons, in which a residual population of n0 Rydberg molecules evolves to a state of high orbital angular momentum, l. Predissociation depletes the plasma of low- l molecules. Relaxation ceases and n0l(2) molecules with l {greater than or equal to} 4 persist for very long times. At short times, varying excitation spectra of mm-wave Rydberg-Rydberg transitions mark the rate of electron-collisional l-mixing. Deep depletion resonances that persist for long times signal energy redistribution in the basis of central-field Rydberg states. The widths and asymmetries of Fano lineshapes witness the degree to which coupling in the arrested bath i) broadens the allowed transition and ii) mixes the local network of levels in the ensemble.

NOO Peroxy Isomer Exposed with Velocity-Map Imaging

The chemistry of NO₂, a key atmospheric trace gas, has historically been interpreted in terms of the C_2v isomer ONO, with the peroxy isomer NOO only postulated to be stable. In this work, a velocity-map-imaged photoelectron spectrum of the nitrite anion, NO₂^-, reveals energetic-electron structure that may only occur by photodetachment from the NOO^-(X̃¹A') isomer. This measurement defines NOO(X̃²A') bond frequencies and an electron affinity of only 335(30) cm^-1, which, supported by ab initio calculations, confirm the first observation of this important reactive species.

Renner-Teller interactions in the vibrational autoionization of polyatomic molecules

Vibrational autoionization induced by the Renner-Teller interaction in linear polyatomic molecules is considered in the context of the three-state electrostatic model developed by Gauyacq and Jungen [Mol. Phys. 41, 383 (1980)]. For small interactions, simple formulas are derived for the quantum defect matrix elements and the autoionization rates in terms of the more common Renner-Teller parameters derived from spectroscopic analyses of low-lying Rydberg states. These formulas should provide guidance for empirical fitting of quantum defect parameters to spectra of high Rydberg states. Consideration of typical values of the Renner-Teller parameters also allows the estimation of vibrational autoionization rates induced by these interactions. These estimates support the validity of the Deltav=-1 propensity rule for vibrational autoionization. Constraints on the vibrational autoionization rates for the symmetric stretching vibration are also discussed. In the following paper, electron capture by polyatomic molecular ions into vibrationally autoionizing Rydberg states is considered from the same perspective, and a simple formula is derived to allow the estimation of the effect of this process on dissociative recombination cross sections.

Femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron-photoion coincidence imaging of multiphoton multichannel photodynamics in NO2

The multiphoton multichannel photodynamics of NO(2) has been studied using femtosecond time-resolved coincidence imaging. A novel photoelectron-photoion coincidence imaging machine was developed at the laboratory in Amsterdam employing velocity map imaging and "slow" charged particle extraction using additional electron and ion optics. The NO(2) photodynamics was studied using a two color pump-probe scheme with femtosecond pulses at 400 and 266 nm. The multiphoton excitation produces both NO(2) (+) parent ions and NO(+) fragment ions. Here we mainly present the time dependent photoelectron images in coincidence with NO(2) (+) or NO(+) and the (NO(+),e) photoelectron versus fragment ion kinetic energy correlations. The coincidence photoelectron spectra and the correlated energy distributions make it possible to assign the different dissociation pathways involved. Nonadiabatic dynamics between the ground state and the A (2)B(2) state after absorption of a 400 nm photon is reflected in the transient photoelectron spectrum of the NO(2) (+) parent ion. Furthermore, Rydberg states are believed to be used as "stepping" states responsible for the rather narrow and well-separated photoelectron spectra in the NO(2) (+) parent ion. Slow statistical and fast direct fragmentation of NO(2) (+) after prompt photoelectron ejection is observed leading to formation of NO(+)+O. Fragmentation from both the ground state and the electronically excited a (3)B(2) and b (3)A(2) states of NO(2) (+) is observed. At short pump probe delay times, the dominant multiphoton pathway for NO(+) formation is a 3x400 nm+1x266 nm excitation. At long delay times (>500 fs) two multiphoton pathways are observed. The dominant pathway is a 1x400 nm+2x266 nm photon excitation giving rise to very slow electrons and ions. A second pathway is a 3x400 nm photon absorption to NO(2) Rydberg states followed by dissociation toward neutral electronically and vibrationally excited NO(A (2)Sigma,v=1) fragments, ionized by one 266 nm photon absorption. As is shown in the present study, even though the pump-probe transients are rather featureless the photoelectron-photoion coincidence images show a complex time varying dynamics in NO(2). We present the potential of our novel coincidence imaging machine to unravel in unprecedented detail the various competing pathways in femtosecond time-resolved multichannel multiphoton dynamics of molecules.

State-Selective Preparation of NO2+ and the Effects of NO2+ Vibrational Mode on Charge Transfer with NO

Two color resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) scheme of NO(2) through the E (2)Sigma(u)(+) (3psigma) Rydberg state was used to prepare NO(2)(+) in its ground and (100), (010), (02(0)0), (02(2)0), and (001) vibrational states. Photoelectron spectroscopy was used to verify >96% state selection purity, in good agreement with results of Bell et al. for a similar REMPI scheme. The effects of NO(2)(+) vibrational excitation on charge transfer with NO have been studied over the center-of-mass collision energy (E(col)) range from 0.07 to 2.15 eV. Charge transfer is strongly suppressed by collision energy at E(col) < approximately 0.25 eV but is independent of E(col) at higher energies. Mode-specific vibrational effects are observed for both the integral and differential cross-sections. The NO(2)(+) bending vibration strongly enhances charge transfer, with enhancement proportional to the bending quantum number, and is not dependent on the bending angular momentum. The enhancement results from increased charge transfer probability in large impact parameter collisions that lead to small deflection angles. The symmetric stretch also enhances reaction at low collision energies, albeit less efficiently than the bend. The asymmetric stretch has virtually no effect, despite being the highest-energy mode. A model is proposed to account for both the collision energy and the vibrational state dependence.

Heats of Formation of Co(CO)2NOPR3, R = CH3 and C2H5, and Its Ionic Fragments

A joint threshold photoelectron photoion coincidence spectrometry (TPEPICO) and collision-induced dissociation (CID) study on the thermochemistry of Co(CO)(2)NOPR(3), R = CH(3) (Me) and C(2)H(5) (Et), complexes is presented. Adiabatic ionization energies of 7.36 +/- 0.04 and 7.24 +/- 0.04 eV, respectively, were extracted from scans of the total ion and threshold electron signals. In the TPEPICO study, the following 0 K onsets were determined for the various fragment ions: CoCONOPMe(3)(+), 8.30 +/- 0.05 eV; CoNOPMe(3)(+), 9.11 +/- 0.05 eV; CoPMe(3)(+) 10.80 +/- 0.05 eV; CoCONOPEt(3)(+), 8.14 +/- 0.05 eV; CoNOPEt(3)(+), 8.92 +/- 0.05 eV; and CoPEt(3)(+), 10.66 +/- 0.05 eV. These onsets were combined with the Co(+)-PR(3) (R = CH(3) and C(2)H(5)) bond dissociation energies of 2.88 +/- 0.11 and 3.51 +/- 0.17 eV, obtained from the TCID experiments, to derive the heats of formation of the neutral and ionic species. Thus, the Co(CO)(2)NOPR(3) (R = CH(3) and C(2)H(5)) 0 K heats of formation were found to be -350 +/- 13 and -376 +/- 18 kJ x mol(-)(1), respectively. These heats of formation were combined with the published heat of formation of Co(CO)(3)NO to determine the substitution enthalpies of the carbonyl to phosphine substitution reactions. Room-temperature values of the heats of formation are also given using the calculated harmonic vibrational frequencies. Analysis of the TCID experimental results provides indirectly the adiabatic ionization energies of the free phosphine ligands, P(CH(3))(3) and P(C(2)H(5))(3), of 7.83 +/- 0.03 and 7.50 +/- 0.03 eV, respectively.

VIBRATIONAL AUTOIONIZATION IN POLYATOMIC MOLECULES

▪ Abstract  The vibrationally autoionizing Rydberg states of small polyatomic molecules provide a fascinating laboratory in which to study fundamental nonadiabatic processes. In this review, recent results on the vibrational mode dependence of vibrational autoionization are discussed. In general, autoionization rates depend strongly on the character of the normal mode driving the process and on the electronic character of the Rydberg electron. Although quantitative calculations based on multichannel quantum defect theory are available for some polyatomic molecules, including H3, only qualitative information exists for most molecules. This review shows how qualitative information, such as Walsh diagrams along different normal coordinates of the molecule, can provide insight into the vibrational autoionization rates.

Mode dependent vibrational autoionization of Rydberg states of NO2. II. Comparing the symmetric stretching and bending vibrations

Triple-resonance excitation and high-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy are combined to characterize the mode selectivity of vibrational autoionization of the high Rydberg states of NO2. Photoelectron spectra and vibrational branching fractions are reported for autoionizing Rydberg states converging to the NO2+ X 1Sigmag +(110) state, that is, with one quantum in the symmetric stretch, nu1, and one quantum in the bending vibration, nu2. These results indicate that autoionization proceeds most efficiently through the loss of one quantum from the symmetric stretch rather than from the bending vibration. The implications of this result are discussed in terms of the autoionization mechanism.

Experimental Characterization of the Higher Vibrationally Excited States of HCO(+): Determination of omega(2), x(22), g(22), and B(030)

Analyses of high Rydberg series of HCO converging to the (030) vibrational state of the cation establish rovibrational state-detailed thresholds for HCO(+). UV-visible laser double resonance isolates series for assignment. Strongly vertical Rydberg-Rydberg transitions from photoselected N' = 0 and N' = 2 rotational levels of the Sigma(-) Renner-Teller vibronic component of the 3ppi (2)Pi (030) complex define individual series converging to rotational levels, N(+) = 1 through 5 and 3 through 5 of the HCO(+) vibrational states (03(1)0) and (03(3)0), respectively. Extrapolation of autoionizing series locates the positions of these rovibrational states to within +/-0.01 cm(-1). The use of this information combined with precise ionization limits for lower vibrational states determined from earlier Rydberg extrapolations and spectroscopic information available from infrared absorption measurements enables an estimate of the force-field parameters for HCO(+) bending. These parameters include the harmonic bending frequency, omega(2) = 842.57 cm(-1), the vibrational angular momentum splitting constant, g(22) = 3.26 cm(-1), and the diagonal bending anharmonicity, x(22) = -2.53 cm(-1), separated from the off-diagonal contribution, x(12), by reference to ab initio calculations. Results of experiment on the higher vibrationally excited states of HCO(+) are compared with recent theoretical predictions. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

THE SHUTTLE GLOW PHENOMENON

Spacecraft in low earth orbit exhibit an unusual phenomenon: Surfaces facing the atmospheric wind produce a bright orange glow. This phenomenon was first noticed on the space shuttle but has since been verified as occurring on all spacecraft. The intensity of the glow depends on atmospheric density, on the angle between the velocity vector and the spacecraft surface, and on the temperature of the surface. This review summarizes the observations as well as the current explanation for the glow, namely its being due to NO2* formed in surface-aided recombination between O and NO. Laboratory measurements and surface studies related to the phenomenon are briefly discussed.