Laser photoelectron spectrometry of Sc− and Y−: A determination of the order of electron filling in transition-metal anions

The photoelectron spectra of Sc^? and Y^? have been obtained in a crossed ion- and laser-beam experiment. Analysis of the Sc^? spectrum yields two bound terms of 3d4s² 4p configuration (¹D⁰ and ³D⁰), with EA(Sc) = 0.189 ± 0.020 eV and an excited-state binding energy of 0.042 ± 0.020 eV. Similarly, the (4d5s² 5p) ¹D⁰ ground state of Y^?is bound by 0.308±0.012eV and a (4d5s²5P)³D⁰ excited term is bound by 0.165± 0.025 eV. With the determination of the bound electronic configuration of Sc^? as 3d4s²4p, the order of filling of electron shells of the first transition series negative ions is found to be 4s²4p, 3d4s²4p, followed by 3d^k4s² (k = 3,4,…, 10).