Dynamics of photoexcited Ba(+) cations in (4)He nanodroplets

Theoretical study of the spin-orbit coupled molecular states of the Mg-He dimer

The primary objective of this study is to conduct precise ab initio calculations of the spin-orbit interaction between Mg and He atoms. Our investigation centers on identifying the first low-lying electronic states of the Mg-He molecule through high-level theoretical methods such as CCSD(T) and RCCSD(T) and SA-CASSCF/MRCI, while also integrating Davidson and BSSE corrections to refine our findings further. Additionally, we employ the state-interacting method to comprehensively account for the influence of spin-orbit coupling (SO) on molecular states. We carefully characterize the potential energy curves (PECs) of these molecular states by deriving crucial spectroscopic parameters including Re, De, Be and Te, which are then compared against data from prior studies. Moreover, our analysis extends to evaluating vibrational levels, radiative lifetimes, and transition dipole moments (TDMs), offering a comprehensive understanding of the system's dynamics. Notably, we locate the positions of satellite features within the absorption spectra of brown and white dwarfs. To validate the precision and reliability of our findings, extensive comparisons are made with both theoretical predictions and experimental observations, ensuring robustness and accuracy in our conclusions.

Dynamics of Photoexcited Cs Atoms Attached to Helium Nanodroplets

We present an experimental study of the dynamics following the photoexcitation and subsequent photoionization of single Cs atoms on the surface of helium nanodroplets. The dynamics of excited Cs atom desorption and readsorption as well as CsHe exciplex formation are measured by using femtosecond pump-probe velocity map imaging spectroscopy and ion time-of-flight spectrometry. The time scales for the desorption of excited Cs atoms off helium nanodroplets as well as the time scales for CsHe exciplex formation are experimentally determined for the 6p states of Cs. For the 6p ²Π_1/2 state, our results confirm that the excited Cs atoms only desorb from the nanodroplet when the excitation wavenumber is blue-shifted from the 6p ²Π_1/2 ← 6s ²Σ_1/2 resonance. Our results suggest that the dynamics following excitation to the 6p ²Π_3/2 state can be described by an evaporation-like desorption mechanism, whereas the dynamics arising from excitation to the 6p ²Σ_1/2 state is indicative for a more impulsive desorption process. Furthermore, our results suggest a helium-induced spin-orbit relaxation from the 6p ²Σ_1/2 state to the 6p ²Π_1/2 state. Our findings largely agree with the results of time-dependent ⁴He density functional theory (DFT) simulations published earlier [Eur. Phys. J. D 2019, 73, 94].

4s to 5s and 4p photoexcitation dynamics of K atoms from the surface of helium nanodroplets: a theoretical study

We study the photodissociation of the potassium atom from a superfluid helium nanodroplet upon 5s ²S or 4p ²P excitation using the time-dependent helium density functional method (He-TDDFT). The results show possible K spin–orbit relaxation.

Spectroscopy of gold atoms and gold oligomers in helium nanodroplets

The 6p ²P_1/2 ← 6s ²S_1/2 and 6p ²P_3/2 ← 6s ²S_1/2 transitions (D lines) of gold atoms embedded in superfluid helium nanodroplets have been investigated using resonant two-photon ionization spectroscopy. Both transitions are strongly blue-shifted and broadened due to the repulsive interaction between the Au valence electron and the surrounding helium. The in-droplet D lines are superimposed by the spectral signature of Au atoms relaxed into the metastable ²D states. These features are narrower than the in-droplet D lines and exhibit sharp rising edges that coincide with bare atom transitions. It is concluded that they originate from metastable ²D state AuHe_n exciplexes that have been ejected from the helium droplets during a relaxation process. Interestingly, the mechanism that leads to the formation of these complexes is suppressed for very large helium droplets consisting of about 2 × 10⁶ He atoms, corresponding to a droplet diameter on the order of 50 nm. The assignment of the observed spectral features is supported by ab initio calculations employing a multiconfigurational self-consistent field method and a multi-reference configuration interaction calculation. For large helium droplets doped with Au oligomers, excitation spectra for mass channels corresponding to Au_n with n = 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9 are presented. The mass spectrum reveals even-odd oscillations in the number of Au atoms that constitute the oligomer, which is characteristic for coinage metal clusters. Resonances are observed close by the in-droplet D1 and D2 transitions, and the corresponding peak forms are very similar for different oligomer sizes.

Photoexcited Ag ejection from a low-temperature He cluster: a simulation study by nonadiabatic Ehrenfest ring-polymer molecular dynamics

Nonadiabatic ring-polymer molecular dynamics simulations were performed to understand the photoexcitation dynamics of a low-temperature Ag·He₅₀₀ cluster.

Capture of Xe and Ar atoms by quantized vortices in4He nanodroplets

We present a computational study, based on time-dependent Density Functional theory, of the real-time interaction and trapping of Ar and Xe atoms in superfluid⁴He nanodroplets either pure or hosting quantized vortex lines.

Interaction of Helium Rydberg State Molecules with Dense Helium

The interaction potentials of the He₂^* excimer, in the a³Σ_u, b³Π_g, c³Σ_g, and d³Σ_u electronic states with a ground state helium atom are presented. The symmetry of the interaction potentials closely follows the excimer Rydberg electron density with pronounced short-range minima appearing along the nodal planes of the Rydberg orbital. In such cases, a combination of the electrostatic short-range attraction combined with Pauli repulsion leads to the appearance of unusual long-range maxima in the potentials. Bosonic density functional calculations show that the ³d state excimer resides in a localized solvation bubble in dense helium at 4.5 K, with radii varying from 12.7 Å at 0.1 MPa to 10.8 Å at 2.4 MPa. The calculated ³d → ³b pressure-induced fluorescence band shifts are in good agreement with experimental results determined by application of corona discharge. The magnitude of the spectral shifts indicate that the observed He₂^* molecules emit from dense helium whereas the corresponding fluorescence signal from the discharge zone appears quenched. This implies that fluorescence spectroscopy involving this electronic transition can only be used to probe the state of the surrounding medium rather than the discharge zone itself.