Photon emission from massive projectile impacts on solids

First evidence of photon emission from individual impacts of massive gold projectiles on solids for a number of projectile-target combinations is reported. Photon emission from individual impacts of massive Au(n) (+q) (1 ≤ n ≤ 400; q = 1-4) projectiles with impact energies in the range of 28-136 keV occurs in less than 10 ns after the projectile impact. Experimental observations show an increase in the photon yield from individual impacts with the projectile size and velocity. Concurrently with the photon emission, electron emission from the impact area has been observed below the kinetic emission threshold and under unlikely conditions for potential electron emission. We interpret the puzzling electron emission and correlated luminescence observation as evidence of the electronic excitation resulting from the high-energy density deposited by massive cluster projectiles during the impact.     

Binding of propene on small gold clusters and on Au(111): simple rules for binding sites and relative binding energies

We use density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the bonding of propene to small gas-phase gold clusters and to a Au(111) surface. The desorption energy trends and the geometry of the binding sites are consistent with the following set of rules. (1) The bond of propene to gold is formed by donation of electron density from the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of propene to one of the low-lying empty orbitals [denoted by LUMO1, LUMO2, em leader (LUMO-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital)] of the gold cluster. (2) Propene binds to a site on the Au cluster where one of the low-lying LUMOs protrudes in the vacuum. Different isomers (same cluster, but different binding sites for propene) correspond to sites where different low-lying LUMOs protrude in space. (3) The desorption energy of the lowest energy isomer correlates with the energy of the lowest empty orbital of the cluster; the lower the energy of that LUMO, the higher the desorption energy. (4) If the lowest-lying LUMO protrudes into space at two nonequivalent sites at the edge of a cluster, propene binds more strongly to the site with the lowest coordination. These rules are consistent with the calculated bond energies and geometries for [Au(n)(C(3)H(6))](q), for n=1-5 and n=8 and q=-1, 0, +1. Based on them we have made a number of predictions that have been confirmed by DFT calculations. The bond of propene to gold is strengthened as the net charge of the cluster varies from -1, to zero, to +1. Compared to a gas-phase cluster, a cluster on a support binds propene more strongly if the support takes electron density from the cluster (e.g., a Au cluster on a gold surface) and more weakly if the support donates electron density to the cluster (e.g., a Au cluster on an oxygen vacancy on an oxide surface).     

Li ion scattering from Au nanoclusters on TiO2(110)

The neutralization of low energy 7Li+ scattered from Au nanoclusters deposited on TiO2(110) was measured with time-of-flight spectroscopy as a function of cluster size, emission angle, and ion energy. The neutralization shows maxima for cluster diameters approximately 3 nm, and again for thick Au films. The data are compared to previous experiments with Na projectiles. Possible explanations of the observed effects are discussed.     

The Au(n) cluster probe in secondary ion mass spectrometry: influence of the projectile size and energy on the desorption/ionization rate from biomolecular solids

A Au-Si liquid metal ion source which produces Au(n) clusters over a large range of sizes was used to study the dependence of both the molecular ion desorption yield and the damage cross-section on the size (n = 1 to 400) and on the kinetic energy (E = 10 to 500 keV) of the clusters used to bombard bioorganic surfaces. Three pure peptides with molecular masses between 750 and 1200 Da were used without matrix. [M+H](+) and [M+cation](+) ion emission yields were enhanced by as much as three orders of magnitude when bombarding with Au(400) (4+) instead of monatomic Au(+), yet very little damage was induced in the samples. A 100-fold increase in the molecular ion yield was observed when the incident energy of Au(9) (+) was varied from 10 to 180 keV. Values of emission yields and damage cross-sections are presented as a function of cluster size and energy. The possibility to adjust both cluster size and energy, depending on the application, makes the analysis of biomolecules by secondary ion mass spectrometry an extremely powerful and flexible technique, particularly when combined with orthogonal time-of-flight mass spectrometry that then allows fast measurements using small primary ion beam currents.     

Effects of excitation energy on the autodetachment lifetimes of small iodide-doped ROH clusters (R═H-, CH3-, CH3CH(2)-)

The effect of excitation energy on the lifetimes of the charge-transfer-to-solvent (CTTS) states of small (4 ≤ n ≤ 10) iodide-doped water and alcohol clusters was explored using femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron imaging. Excitation of the CTTS state at wavelengths ranging from 272 to 238 nm leads to the formation of the I···(ROH)(n)(-) (R═H-, CH(3)-, and CH(3)CH(2)-) species, which can be thought of as a vibrationally excited bare solvent cluster anion perturbed by an iodine atom. Autodetachment lifetimes for alcohol-containing clusters range from 1 to 71 ps, while water clusters survive for hundreds of ps in this size range. Autodetachment lifetimes were observed to decrease significantly with increasing excitation energy for a particular number and type of solvent molecules. The application of Klots' model for thermionic emission from clusters to I(-)(H(2)O)(5) and I(-)(CH(3)OH)(7) qualitatively reproduces experimental trends and reveals a high sensitivity to energy parametrization while remaining relatively insensitive to the number of vibrational modes. Experimental and computational results therefore suggest that the rate of electron emission is primarily determined by the energetics of the cluster system rather than by details of molecular structure.     

Electronically excited states and visible region photodissociation spectroscopy of Au(m)(+) . Ar(n) clusters (m=7-9): molecular dimensionality transition?

Photodissociation spectra were determined for Au(m)(+) . Ar(n) (m=7; n=0-3 and m=8,9; n=0,1) in the photon energy range of 2.14-3.02 eV. Experimental data were compared with predictions of dipole allowed transitions using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) as applied to cluster structures from both DFT (B3-LYP functional) and ab initio calculations at the MP2 level. Argon adduct formation does not significantly perturb the bare metal cluster core structure, but it does change the metal cluster spectrum for highly symmetric cluster structures. The photodissociation spectra are consistent with a transition from planar to three-dimensional gold cluster core geometries between m=7 and m=8 for both n=0 and 1. TDDFT predictions for favored isomers describe experimental absorption features to within +/-0.25 eV. We also discuss size-dependent trends in TDDFT transition energies for the lowest energy two- and three-dimensional structures of Au(m)(+)(m=3-9).     

A molecular dynamics simulation of rebound,capture and diffusion in collisions at thermal energies between a rare gas atom and an argon cluster (n=125)

Molecular dynamics calculations have been performed to simulate the low energy collision (0.2 eV) of a rare gas atom (He, Ar, Xe) with a cluster of 125 argon atoms. Depending on its relative mass to argon, the projectile is either deflected (He) or captured (Ar, Xe) by the argon cluster. We have determined the deflection function of the He projectile that is scattered, and for Xe we have determined wether it stays near the surface of the cluster or migrates inside. These results have been discussed in the light of very simple models.     

Density functional study of the interaction between small Au clusters, Au(n) (n=1-7) and the rutile TiO(2) surface. I. Adsorption on the stoichiometric surface

This is the first paper in a series of four dealing with the adsorption site, electronic structure, and chemistry of small Au clusters, Au(n) (n=1-7), supported on stoichiometric, partially reduced, or partially hydroxylated rutile TiO(2)(110) surfaces. Analysis of the electronic structure reveals that the main contribution to the binding energy is the overlap between the highest occupied molecular orbitals of Au clusters and the Kohn-Sham orbitals localized on the bridging and the in-plane oxygen of the rutile TiO(2)(110) surface. The structure of adsorbed Au(n) differs from that in the gas phase mostly because the cluster wants to maximize this orbital overlap and to increase the number of Au-O bonds. For example, the equilibrium structures of Au(5) and Au(7) are planar in the gas phase, while the adsorbed Au(5) has a distorted two-dimensional structure and the adsorbed Au(7) is three-dimensional. The dissociation of an adsorbed cluster into two adsorbed fragments is endothermic, for all clusters, by at least 0.8 eV. This does not mean that the gas-phase clusters hitting the surface with kinetic energy greater than 0.8 eV will fragment. To place enough energy in the reaction coordinate for fragmentation, the impact kinetic energy needs to be substantially higher than 0.8 eV. We have also calculated the interaction energy between all pairs of Au clusters. These interactions are small except when a Au monomer is coadsorbed with a Au(n) with odd n. In this case the interaction energy is of the order of 0.7 eV and the two clusters interact through the support even when they are fairly far apart. This happens because the adsorption of a Au(n) cluster places electrons in the states of the bottom of the conduction band and these electrons help the Au monomer to bind to the five-coordinated Ti atoms on the surface.     

Geometries, stabilities, and electronic properties of small anion Mg-doped gold clusters: a density functional theory study

First-principle density functional theory is used for studying the anion gold clusters doped with magnesium atom. By performing geometry optimizations, the equilibrium geometries, relative stabilities, and electronic and magnetic properties of [Au(n)Mg]? (n = 1-8) clusters have been investigated systematically in comparison with pure gold clusters. The results show that doping with a single Mg atom dramatically affects the geometries of the ground-state Au(n+1)? clusters for n = 2-7. Here, the relative stabilities are investigated in terms of the calculated fragmentation energies, second-order difference of energies, and highest occupied?lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy gaps, manifesting that the ground-state [Au(n)Mg]? and Au(n+1)? clusters with odd-number gold atoms have a higher relative stability. In particular, it should be noted that the [Au?Mg]? cluster has the most enhanced chemical stability. The natural population analysis reveals that the charges in [Au(n)Mg]? (n = 2-8) clusters transfer from the Mg atom to the Au frames. In addition, the total magnetic moments of [Au(n)Mg]? clusters exhibit an odd-even oscillation as a function of cluster size, and the magnetic effects mainly come from the Au atoms.     

Nanometal surface energy transfer in optical rulers, breaking the FRET barrier

Optical-based distance measurements are essential for tracking biomolecular conformational changes, drug discovery, and cell biology. Traditional Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) is efficient for separation distances up to 100 A. We report the first successful application of a dipole-surface type energy transfer from a molecular dipole to a nanometal surface that more than doubles the traditional Forster range (220 A) and follows a 1/R(4) distance dependence. We appended a 1.4 nm Au cluster to the 5' end of one DNA strand as the energy acceptor and a fluorescein (FAM) to the 5' end of the complementary strand as the energy donor. Analysis of the energy transfer on DNA lengths (15, 20, 30, 60bp), complemented by protein-induced DNA bending, provides the basis for fully mapping the extent of this dipole surface type mechanism over its entire usable range (50-250 A). Further, protein function is fully compatible with these nanometal-DNA constructs. Significantly extending the range of optical based methods in molecular rulers is an important leap forward for biophysics.     

Making the golden connection: reversible mechanochemical and vapochemical switching of luminescence from bimetallic gold-silver clusters associated through aurophilic interactions

Aiming at the development of new architectures within the context of the quest for strongly luminescent materials with tunable emission, we utilized the propensity of the robust bimetallic clusters [Au?Ag?(R(I)/R(II))?] (R(I) = 4-C?F?I, R(II) = 2-C?F?I) for self-assembly through aurophilic interactions. With a de novo approach that combines the coordination and halogen-bonding potential of aromatic heteroperhalogenated ligands, we have generated a family of remarkably luminescent bimetallic materials that provide grounds to address the relevance, relative effects, and synergistic action of the two interactions in the underlying photophysics. By polymerizing the green-emitting (λ(max)(em) = 540 nm) monomer [Au?Ag?R(II)?(tfa)?]2? (tfa = trifluoroacetate) to a red-emitting (λ(max)(em) = 660 nm) polymer [Au?Ag?R(II)?(MeCN)?](n), we demonstrate herein that the degree of cluster association in these materials can be effectively and reversibly switched simply by applying mechanochemical and/or vapochemical stimuli in the solid state as well as by solvatochemistry in solution, the reactions being coincident with a dramatic switching of the intense, readily perceptible photoluminescence. We demonstrate that the key event in the related equilibrium is the evolution of a metastable yellow emitter (λ(max)(em) = 580 nm) for which the structure determination in the case of the ligand R(II) revealed a dimeric nonsolvated topology [Au?Ag?R(II)?]?. Taken together, these results reveal a two-stage scenario for the aurophilic-driven self-assembly of the bimetallic clusters [Au?Ag?(R(I)/R(II))?]: (1) initial association of the green-emitting monomers to form metastable yellow-emitting dimers and desolvation followed by (2) resolvation of the dimers and their self-assembly to form a red-emitting linear architecture with delocalized frontier orbitals and a reduced energy gap. The green emission from [Au?Ag?R(II)?(tfa)?]2? (λ(max)(em) = 540 nm) exceeds the highest energy observed for [Au?Ag?]-based structures to date, thereby expanding the spectral slice for emission from related structures beyond 140 nm, from the green region to the deep-red region.     

Reactions of gold atoms and small clusters with CO: Infrared spectroscopic and theoretical characterization of Au(n)CO (n = 1-5) and Au(n)(CO)2 (n = 1, 2) in solid argon

Laser-ablated Au atoms have been co-deposited with CO molecules in solid argon to produce gold carbonyls. In addition to the previously reported Au(CO)n (n = 1, 2) and Au2(CO)2 molecules, small gold cluster monocarbonyls Au(n)CO (n = 2-5) are formed on sample annealing and characterized using infrared spectroscopy on the basis of the results of the isotopic substitution and CO concentration change and comparison with theoretical predictions. Of particular interest is that the mononuclear gold carbonyls, Au(CO)n (n = 1, 2), are favored under the experimental conditions of higher CO concentration and lower laser energy, whereas the yields of the gold cluster carbonyls, Au(n)CO (n = 2-5) and Au2(CO)2, remarkably increase with lower CO concentration and higher laser power. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been performed on these molecules and the corresponding small naked gold clusters. The identities of these gold carbonyls Au(n)CO (n = 1-5) and Au(n)(CO)2 (n = 1, 2) are confirmed by the good agreement between the experimental and calculated vibrational frequencies, relative absorption intensities, and isotopic shifts.     

A new magic titanium-doped gold cluster and orientation dependent cluster-cluster interaction

The stability and structures of titanium-doped gold clusters Au(n)Ti (n=2-16) are studied by the relativistic all-electron density-functional calculations. The most stable structures for Au(n)Ti clusters with n=2-7 are found to be planar. A structural transition of Au(n)Ti clusters from two-dimensional to three-dimensional geometry occurs at n=8, while the Au(n)Ti (n=12-16) prefer a gold cage structure with Ti atom locating at the center. Binding energy and second-order energy differences indicate that the Au(14)Ti has a significantly higher stability than its neighbors. A high ionization potential, low electron affinity, and large energy gap being the typical characters of a magic cluster are found for the Au(14)Ti. For cluster-cluster interaction between magic transition-metal-doped gold clusters, calculations were performed for cluster dimers, in which the clusters have an icosahedral or nonicosahedral structure. It is concluded that both electronic shell effect and relative orientation of clusters are responsible for the cluster-cluster interaction.     

Photodissociation of small group-11 metal cluster ions: fragmentation pathways and photoabsorption cross sections

Noble metal cluster ions Cu(n)(+), Ag(n)(+) and Au(n)(+) (n = 3-21) have been stored in a Penning trap and photodissociated by low intensity laser pulses of 10 ns at photon energies of 3.49 eV and 4.66 eV. The fragmentation pathways, neutral monomer and dimer evaporation, have been monitored as a function of cluster size, excitation energy and element. It is found that the behavior of the branching ratio between monomer and dimer evaporation as a function of excitation energy depends on the metal under investigation. In particular, the slope of the energy dependence is positive for silver but negative for gold and copper cluster ions. Furthermore, photoabsorption cross sections are determined from observed total fragment yields in single-photon dissociation.     

Copper doping of small gold cluster cations: influence on geometric and electronic structure

The effect of Cu doping on the properties of small gold cluster cations is investigated in a joint experimental and theoretical study. Temperature-dependent Ar tagging of the clusters serves as a structural probe and indicates no significant alteration of the geometry of Au(n) (+) (n = 1-16) upon Cu doping. Experimental cluster-argon bond dissociation energies are derived as a function of cluster size from equilibrium mass spectra and are in the 0.10-0.25 eV range. Near-UV and visible light photodissociation spectroscopy is employed in conjunction with time-dependent density functional theory calculations to study the electronic absorption spectra of Au(4-m)Cu(m) (+) (m = 0, 1, 2) and their Ar complexes in the 2.00-3.30 eV range and to assign their fragmentation pathways. The tetramers Au(4) (+), Au(4) (+)[middle dot]Ar, Au(3)Cu(+), and Au(3)Cu(+)[middle dot]Ar exhibit distinct optical absorption features revealing a pronounced shift of electronic excitations to larger photon energies upon substitution of Au by Cu atoms. The calculated electronic excitation spectra and an analysis of the character of the optical transitions provide detailed insight into the composition-dependent evolution of the electronic structure of the clusters.     

Electronic and structural investigations of gold clusters doped with copper: Aun-1Cu- (n=13-19)

We have obtained the ground state and the equilibrium geometries of Au(n) (-) and Au(n-1)Cu(-) in the size range of n=13-19. We have used first principles density functional theory within plane wave and Gaussian basis set methods. For each of the cluster we have obtained at least 100 distinct isomers. The anions of gold clusters undergo two structural transformations, the first one from flat cage to hollow cage and the second one from hollow cage to pyramidal structure. The Cu doped clusters do not show any flat cage structures as the ground state. The copper doped systems evolve from a general 3D structure to hollow cage with Cu trapped inside the cage at n=16 and then to pyramidal structure at n=19. The introduction of copper atom enhances the binding energy per atom as compared to gold cluster anions.     

Direct comparison of Au<Stack><Subscript>3</Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript></Stack> and C<Stack><Subscript>60</Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript></Stack> cluster projectiles in SIMS molecular depth profiling

The sputtering properties of two representative cluster ion beams in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), C(60)(+) and Au(3)(+), have been directly compared. Organic thin films consisting of trehalose and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) are employed as prototypical targets. The strategy is to make direct comparison of the response of a molecular solid to each type of the bombarding cluster by overlapping the two ion beams onto the same area of the sample surface. The ion beams alternately erode the sample while keeping the same projectile for spectral acquisition. The results from these experiments are important to further optimize the use of cluster projectiles for SIMS molecular depth profiling experiments. For example, Au(3)(+) bombardment is found to induce more chemical damage as well as Au implantation when compared with C(60)(+). Moreover, C(60)(+) is found to be able to remove the damage and the implanted Au effectively. Discussions are also presented on strategies of enhancing sensitivity for imaging applications with cluster SIMS.     

Understanding gold-thiolate cluster emission from self-assembled monolayers upon kiloelectronvolt ion bombardment

This article focuses on the emission of organometallic clusters upon kiloelectronvolt ion bombardment of self-assembled monolayers. It is particularly relevant for the elucidation of the physical processes underlying secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The experimental system, an overlayer of octanethiols on gold, was modeled by classical molecular dynamics, using a hydrocarbon potential involving bonding and nonbonding interactions (AIREBO). To validate the model, the calculated mass and energy distributions of sputtered atoms and molecules were compared to experimental data. Our key finding concerns the emission mechanism of large clusters of the form MxAuy up to M6Au5 (where M is the thiolate molecule), which were not observed under sub-kiloelectronvolt projectile bombardment. Statistically, they are predominantly formed in high-yield events, where many atoms, fragments, and (supra)molecular species are desorbed from the surface. From the microscopic viewpoint, these high-yield events mostly stem from the confinement of the projectile and recoil atom energies in a finite microvolume of the sample surface. As a result of the high local energy density, molecular aggregates desorb from an overheated liquidlike region surrounding the impact point of the projectile.     

How cationic gold clusters respond to a single sulfur atom

Results describing the interaction of a single sulfur atom with cationic gold clusters (Au(n) (+), n=1-8) using density functional theory are described. Stability of these clusters is studied through their binding energies, second order differences in the total energies, fragmentation behavior, and atom attachment energies. The lowest energy structures for these clusters appear to be three dimensional right from n=3. In most cases the sulfur atom in the structure of Au(n)S(+) is observed to displace the gold atom siting at the peripheral site of the Au(n) (+) cluster. The dissociation channels of Au(n)S(+) clusters follow the same trend as Au(n) (+) cluster, based on the even/odd number of gold atoms in the cluster, with the exception of Au(3)S(+). This cluster dissociates into Au and Au(2)S(+), signifying the relative stability of Au(2)S(+) cluster regardless of having an odd number of valence electrons. Clusters with an even number of gold atoms dissociate into Au and Au(n-1)(S)(+) and clusters with an odd number of gold atoms dissociate into Au(2) and Au(n-2)(S)(+) clusters. An empirical relation is found between the conduction molecular orbital and the number of atoms in the Au(n)S(+) cluster.     

Organic triplet excited states of gold(I) complexes with oligo(o- or m-phenyleneethynylene) ligands: conjunction of steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic studies on exciton delocalization and emission pathways

A series of mononuclear and binuclear gold(I) complexes containing oligo(o- or m-phenyleneethynylene) (PE) ligands, namely [PhC≡C(C(6)H(4)-1,2-C≡C)(n-1)Au(PCy(3))] (n = 2-4, 4a-c), [μ-{C≡C-(1,2-C(6)H(4)C≡C)(n)}{Au(PCy(3))}(2)] (n = 1-6, 8, 5a-g), [PhC≡C(C(6)H(4)-1,3-C≡C)(n-1)Au(PCy(3))] (n = 2-4, 6a-c), and [μ-{C≡C-(1,3-C(6)H(4)C≡C)(n)}{Au(PCy(3))}(2)] (n = 1, 2, 7a,b), were synthesized and structurally characterized. Extensive spectroscopic measurements have been performed by applying combined methods of femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TA), fs time-resolved fluorescence (fs-TRF), and nanosecond time-resolved emission (ns-TRE) coupled with steady-state absorption and emission spectroscopy at both ambient and low (77 K) temperatures to directly probe the temporal evolution of the excited states and to determine the dynamics and spectral signatures for the involved singlet (S(1)) and triplet (T(1)) excited states. The results reveal that S(1) and T(1) both feature ligand-centered electronic transitions with ππ* character associated with the phenyl and acetylene moieties. The (3)ππ* emission of the PE ligands is switched on by the attachment of [Au(PCy(3))](+) fragment(s) due to the heavy-atom effect. T(1)((3)ππ*) was found to form with nearly unity efficiency through intersystem crossing (ISC) from S(1)((1)ππ*). The ISC time constants were determined to be ～50, 35, and 40 ps for 4b and 6a,b, respectively. Dual emission composed of fluorescence from S(1) and phosphorescence from T(1) were observed for most of the complexes except 5a and 7a, where only phosphorescence was found. The fluorescence at ambient temperature is accounted for by both the short-lived prompt fluorescence (PF) and long-lived delayed fluorescence (DF, lifetime on microsecond time scale). Explicit evidence was presented for a triplet-triplet annihilation mechanism for the generation of DF. Ligand length and substitution-dependent dynamics of T(1) are the key factors governing the dual emission character of the complexes. By extrapolation from the plot of emission energy against the PE chain length of the [Au(PCy(3))](+) complexes with oligo(o-PE) or oligo(m-PE) ligands, the triplet emission energies were estimated to be ～530 and ～470 nm for poly(o-PE) and poly(m-PE), respectively. Additionally, we assign the unusual red shifts of 983 cm(-1) from [PhC≡CAu(PCy(3))] (1) to [μ-{1,3-(C≡C)(2)C(6)H(4)}{Au(PCy(3))}(2)] (7a) and 462 cm(-1) from 7a to [μ(3)-{1,3,5-(C≡C)(3)C(6)H(3)}{Au(PCy(3))}(3)] (8) in the phosphorescence energies to excitonic coupling interactions between the C≡CAu(PCy(3)) arms in the triplet excited states. These complexes, together with those previously reported [Au(PCy(3))](+) complexes containing oligo(p-PE) ligands ( J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002 , 124 , 14696 - 14706 ), form a collection of oligo(phenyleneethynylene) complexes exhibiting organic triplet emission in solution under ambient conditions. The remarkable feature of these complexes in exhibiting TTA prompted DF in conjunction with high formation efficiency of T(1)((3)ππ*) affords an opportunity for emission spectra to cover a wide range of wavelengths. This may have implication in the development of PE-based molecular materials for future optical applications.