Near-infrared photoabsorption by C60 dianions in a storage ring

We present a detailed study of the electronic structure and the stability of C(60) dianions in the gas phase. Monoanions were extracted from a plasma source and converted to dianions by electron transfer in a Na vapor cell. The dianions were then stored in an electrostatic ring, and their near-infrared absorption spectrum was measured by observation of laser induced electron detachment. From the time dependence of the detachment after photon absorption, we conclude that the reaction has contributions from both direct electron tunneling to the continuum and vibrationally assisted tunneling after internal conversion. This implies that the height of the Coulomb barrier confining the attached electrons is at least approximately 1.5 eV. For C(60)(2-) ions in solution electron spin resonance measurements have indicated a singlet ground state, and from the similarity of the absorption spectra we conclude that also the ground state of isolated C(60)(2-) ions is singlet. The observed spectrum corresponds to an electronic transition from a t(1u) lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of C(60) to the t(1g) LUMO+1 level. The electronic levels of the dianion are split due to Jahn-Teller coupling to quadrupole deformations of the molecule, and a main absorption band at 10,723 cm(-1) corresponds to a transition between the Jahn-Teller ground states. Also transitions from pseudorotational states with 200 cm(-1) and (probably) 420 cm(-1) excitation are observed. We argue that a very broad absorption band from about 11,500 cm(-1) to 13,500 cm(-1) consists of transitions to so-called cone states, which are Jahn-Teller states on a higher potential-energy surface, stabilized by a pseudorotational angular momentum barrier. A previously observed, high-lying absorption band for C(60)(-) may also be a transition to a cone state.

Interference effect in electron emission in heavy ion collisions with h2 detected by comparison with the measured electron spectrum from atomic hydrogen

Direct evidence of the interference effect in the electron emission spectra from ionization of molecular hydrogen in collisions with bare C and F ions at relatively low collision energies is presented. Oscillations due to the interference are deduced by comparing the measured double differential cross sections of the electrons emitted from molecular hydrogen to those emitted from atomic hydrogen, rather than using the calculated cross sections for H as in a previous report. We believe these experimental data provide stronger support for the evidence of the interference effect. We show that it is not only a feature of very high energy collisions, but also a feature to be observed in relatively lower energy collisions.

Effect of collective response on electron capture and excitation in collisions of highly charged ions with fullerenes

Projectile deexcitation Lyman x-ray emission following electron capture and K excitation has been studied in collisions of bare and Li-like sulphur ions (of energy 110 MeV) with fullerenes (C(60)/C(70)) and different gaseous targets. The intensity ratios of different Lyman x-ray lines in collisions with fullerenes are found to be substantially lower than those for the gas targets, both for capture and excitation. This has been explained in terms of a model based on "solidlike" effect, namely, wakefield induced stark mixing of the excited states populated via electron capture or K excitation: a collective phenomenon of plasmon excitation in the fullerenes under the influence of heavy, highly charged ions.