Energy flow and fragmentation dynamics of n,n-dimethylisopropylamine

The energy flow and fragmentation dynamics of N,N-dimethylisopropylamine (DMIPA) upon excitation to the 3p Rydberg states has been investigated with use of time-resolved photoelectron and mass spectrometry. The 3p states are short-lived, with a lifetime of 701 +/- 45 fs. From the time dependence of the photoelectron spectra, we infer that the primary reaction channel leads to the 3s level, which itself decays to the ground state with a decay time of 87.9 +/- 10.2 ps. The mass spectrum reveals fragmentation with cleavage at the alpha C-C bond, indicating that the energy deposited in vibrations during the internal conversion from 3p to 3s exceeds the bond energy. A thorough examination of the binding energies and temporal dynamics of the Rydberg states, as well as a comparison to the related fragmentation of N,N-dimethyl-2-butanamine (DM2BA), suggests that the fragments are formed on the ion surfaces, i.e., after ionization and on a time scale much slower than the fluorescence decay from 3s to the ground state.     

Structural dynamics in floppy systems: ultrafast conformeric motions in Rydberg-excited triethylamine

Rotations about its three carbon-nitrogen bonds give triethylamine a complex, 3-dimensional potential energy landscape of conformeric structures. Electronic excitation to Rydberg states prepares the molecule in a high-energy, nonequilibrium distribution of such conformers, initiating ultrafast transitions between them. Time-resolved Rydberg electron binding energy spectra, observed using photoionization-photoelectron spectroscopy with ultrashort laser pulses, reveal these time-evolving structures. The time-dependent structural fingerprint spectra are assigned with the aid of a computational analysis of the potential energy landscape. Upon 209 nm electronic excitation to the 3p Rydberg state, triethylamine decays to 3s with a 200 fs time constant. The initially prepared conformer reacts to a mixture of structures with a time constant of 232 fs and settles into a final geometry distribution on a further subpicosecond time scale. The binding energy of the Rydberg electron is found to be an important determinant of the conformeric energy landscape.     

Semi-Empirical Model to Retrieve Finite Temperature Terahertz Absorption Spectra using Morse Potential

Terahertz (THz) absorption is a fingerprint property of materials, due to the underlying low-frequency vibration/phonon modes being strongly dependent on the chemical constitutions and microscopic structures. The low excitation energies (0.414-41.4 meV) are related to two intrinsic properties of THz vibrations: the potential energy surfaces (PESs) are shallow, and the vibrationally excited states are usually populated via thermal fluctuations. The shallow PESs make the vibrations usually anharmonic, leading to redshifted vibrational excited state absorption; combined with considerable vibrational excited states population, characteristic THz signals are usually redshifted and congested with varying degrees at different temperatures. Combining existing experimental THz spectra at low temperatures, first principles vibration analysis, and the Morse potential, we developed a semi-empirical model to evaluate the anharmonicity of the low-frequency modes. The model was benchmarked with purine molecular crystal to generate THz spectra at different temperatures, the results were consistent with experiments. The good agreement suggests this model would facilitate the application of THz spectroscopy in molecular crystal characterization.     

Rydberg fingerprint spectroscopy: a new spectroscopic tool with local and global structural sensitivity

Rydberg spectra are shown to provide a spectral fingerprint that is sensitive to molecular structure in unique ways. The concepts are demonstrated using a set of isomeric fluorophenols and a sequence of aliphatic diamines. In the fluorophenols, the sensitivity extends to the placement of a single hydrogen atom and can be traced to the molecular charge distributions associated with the locations of atoms and functional groups with respect to the charge center. Experiments on tetramethyl diamines demonstrate that the structural sensitivity encompasses the extended molecular structure, including parts of the molecule that are remote from the ionization center. This global structure sensitivity makes Rydberg fingerprint spectroscopy uniquely suited to characterize structures of large-scale molecular systems.     

Ultrafast structural and isomerization dynamics in the Rydberg-exited quadricyclane: norbornadiene system

The quadricyclane-norbornadiene system is an important model for the isomerization dynamics between highly strained molecules. In a breakthrough observation for a polyatomic molecular system of that complexity, we follow the photoionization from Rydberg states in the time-domain to derive a measure for the time-dependent structural dynamics and the time-evolving structural dispersion even while the molecule is crossing electronic surfaces. The photoexcitation to the 3s and 3p Rydberg states deposits significant amounts of energy into vibrational motions. We observe the formation and evolution of the vibrational wavepacket on the Rydberg surface and the internal conversion from the 3p Rydberg states to the 3s state. In that state, quadricyclane isomerizes to norbornadiene with a time constant of τ(2) = 136(45) fs. The lifetime of the 3p Rydberg state in quadricyclane is τ(1) = 320(31) and the lifetime of the 3s Rydberg state in norbornadiene is τ(3) = 394(32).     

Mass resolved MPI spectra of methyl iodide in the 430-490 nm region

The mass resolved multiphoton ionization (MPI) spectra of methyl iodide were obtained in the 430-490 nm region using a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer. They have the same vibrational structure, which testifies that the fragment species, in the wavelength region under study, are from the photodissociation of multiphoton ionized molecular parent ions. Some features in the spectra are identified as three-photon excitations to 6p and 7s Rydberg states of methyl iodide. Two new vibrational structures of some Rydberg states are observed. The mechanism of ionization and dissociation is also discussed.     

Photoelectron imaging following 2 + 1 multiphoton excitation of HBr

The photodissociation and photoionization dynamics of HBr via low-n Rydberg and ion-pair states was studied by using 2 + 1 REMPI spectroscopy and velocity map imaging of photoelectrons. Two-photon excitation at about 9.4-10 eV was used to prepare rotationally selected excited states. Following absorption of the third photon the unperturbed F (1)Delta(2) and i (3)Delta(2) states ionize directly into the ground vibrational state of the molecular ion according to the Franck-Condon principle and upon preservation of the ion core. In case of the V (1)Sigma(+)(0(+)) ion-pair state and the perturbed E (1)Sigma(+)(0(+)), g (3)Sigma(-)(0(+)), and H (1)Sigma(+)(0(+)) Rydberg states the absorption of the third photon additionally results in a long vibrational progression of HBr(+) in the X (2)Pi state as well as formation of electronically excited atomic photofragments. The vibrational excitation of the molecular ion is explained by autoionization of repulsive superexcited states into the ground state of the molecular ion. In contrast to HCl, the perturbed Rydberg states of HBr show strong participation of the direct ionization process, with ionic core preservation.     

Rydberg atom mediated polar molecule interactions: a tool for molecular-state conditional quantum gates and individual addressability

We study the possibility to use interaction between a polar molecule in the ground electronic and vibrational state and a Rydberg atom to construct two-qubit gates between molecular qubits and to coherently control molecular states. A polar molecule within the electron orbit in a Rydberg atom can either shift the Rydberg state, or form a Rydberg molecule. Both the atomic shift and the Rydberg molecule states depend on the initial internal state of the polar molecule, resulting in molecular state dependent van der Waals or dipole-dipole interaction between Rydberg atoms. Rydberg atoms mediated interaction between polar molecules can be enhanced up to 10(3) times. We describe how the coupling between a polar molecule and a Rydberg atom can be applied to coherently control molecular states, and specifically, to individually address molecules in an optical lattice, and to non-destructively readout molecular qubits.     

Probing Rapidly‐Ionizing Super‐Atom Molecular Orbitals in C60: A Computational and Femtosecond Photoelectron Spectroscopy Study

Super‐atom molecular orbitals (SAMOs) are diffuse hydrogen‐like orbitals defined by the shallow potential at the centre of hollow molecules such as fullerenes. The SAMO excited states differ from the Rydberg states by the significant electronic density present inside the carbon cage. We provide a detailed computational study of SAMO and Rydberg states and an experimental characterization of SAMO excited electronic states for gas‐phase C₆₀ molecules by photoelectron spectroscopy. A large band of 500 excited states was computed using time‐dependent density functional theory. We show that due to their diffuse character, the photoionization widths of the SAMO and Rydberg states are orders of magnitude larger than those of the isoenergetic non‐SAMO excited states. Moreover, in the range of kinetic energies experimentally measured, only the SAMO states photoionize significantly on the timescale of the femtosecond laser experiments. Single photon ionization of the SAMO states dominates the photoelectron spectrum for relatively low laser intensities. The computed photoelectron spectra and photoelectron angular distributions are in good agreement with the experimental results.     

Two-color multiphoton ionization of diazabicyclooctane in a supersonic free jet

Two-color multiphoton ionization (MPI) spectroscopy has been applied for diazabicyclooctane (DABCO) in a supersonic free jet. The MPI spectra due to transitions from the various vibronic levels of the S₁ (3s Rydberg) state which were excited by the first laser revealed the high Rydberg states above the adiabatic ionization potential. The ionization process and the vibrational potential of the ion are discussed.     

Monolayer vibrational spectroscopy by infrared-visible sum generation at metal and semiconductor surfaces

IR-visible sum generation spectroscopy, an interface-selective probe of molecular vibrations, is used to obtain vibrational spectra of molecular monolayers on metal and semiconductor surfaces. The spectra obey electric dipole selection rules: vibrational modes must be both Raman and infrared active to show sum frequency resonances. The orientation of molecules at the interface can be determined by interference between the resonant molecular signal and a substrate background signal. Sum generation is also observed at a buried interface in the absence of a dielectric discontinuity, suggesting uses at buried molecular structures such as polymer-polymer interfaces.     

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.     

不同受限状态下链硫醇的非线性光学响应

以和频(SFG)振动光谱技术探测了正十二硫醇(DDT)在不同受限状态下的分子振动信号,包括金属基底上的自组装单层(SAM)分子,放置在二氧化硅基底上的表面DDT化的金纳米粒子以及金纳米粒子的甲苯溶液.在三种状态下都探测到了来自于DDT分子的振动光谱,振动光谱的区别提供了在不同受限态下DDT分子的结构信息.在金属基底上DDT分子排列规整,放置在二氧化硅基底上的金纳米粒子表面的DDT分子具有一定的柔性,在空气-甲苯溶液界面金纳米粒子表面的DDT分子高度无序.此外,光谱实验显示,金纳米粒子表面的分子振动信号产生了局域场增强的效应,相对于金基底上的自组装单层分子而言,增强系数为102-103,取决于光谱的偏振组合.     

An approach to compatible multiple nonlinear vibrational spectroscopy measurements using a commercial sum frequency generation system

In this paper, we designed a compatible multiple nonlinear vibrational spectroscopy system that can be used for recording infrared-visible sum frequency generation vibrational spectra (SFG) and infrared-infrared-visible three-pump-field four-wave-mixing (IIV-TPF-FWM) spectra using a commercial EKSPLA SFG system. This is the first time IIV-TPF-FWM signals were obtained using picosecond laser pulses. We have applied this compatible system to study the surface and vibrational structures of riboflavin molecules (also known as vitamin B2). The SFG spectra of eight polarization combinations have non-vanishing signals. The signals with incoming s-polarized IR are relatively weaker than the signals with incoming p-polarized IR. Under the double resonant conditions, the SFG signals of the conjugated tricyclic ring are greatly enhanced. For the IIV-TPF-FWM spectra with incoming p-polarized IR, only the sspp and pppp polarization combinations have non-vanishing signals. The IIV-TPF-FWM spectra show a very strong peak at 1585 cm(-1) that is mainly dominated by the N(5)-C(4a) stretch. The method developed in this study will be helpful for researchers, either using a home-built or commercial (EKSPLA) SFG system, to obtain independent and complementary measurements for SFG spectroscopy and more detailed structural information of interfacial molecules.     

3s Rydberg and cationic States of pyrazine studied by photoelectron spectroscopy

We have studied 3s(n-1 and pi-1) Rydberg states and D0(n-1) and D1(pi-1) cationic states of pyrazine [1,4-diazabenzene] by picosecond (2 + 1) resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI), (2 + 1) REMPI photoelectron imaging, He(I) ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), and vacuum ultraviolet pulsed field ionization photoelectron spectroscopy (VUV-PFI-PE). The new He(I) photoelectron spectrum of pyrazine in a supersonic jet revealed a considerably finer vibrational structure than a previous photoelectron spectrum of pyrazine vapor. We performed Franck-Condon analysis on the observed photoelectron and REMPI spectra in combination with ab initio density functional theory and molecular orbital calculations to determine the equilibrium geometries in the D0 and 3s(n-1) states. The equilibrium geometries were found to differ slightly between the D0 and 3s states, indicating the influence of a Rydberg electron on the molecular structure. The locations of the D1-D0 and 3s(pi-1)-3s(n-1) conical intersections were estimated. From the line width in the D1 <-- S0 spectrum, we estimated the lifetime of D1 to be 12 fs for pyrazine and 15 fs for fully deuterated pyrazine. A similar lifetime was estimated for the 3s(pi-1) state of pyrazine by REMPI spectroscopy. The vibrational feature of D1 observed in the VUV-PFI-PE measurement differed dramatically from that in the UPS spectrum, which suggests that the high-n Rydberg (ZEKE) states converging to the D1 vibronic state are short-lived due to electronic autoionization to the D0 continuum.     

Structural dynamics and energy flow in Rydberg-excited clusters of N,N-dimethylisopropylamine

In molecular beams, the tertiary amine N,N-dimethylisopropyl amine can form molecular clusters that are evident in photoelectron and mass spectra obtained upon resonant multiphoton ionization via the 3p and 3s Rydberg states. By delaying the ionization pulse from the excitation pulse we follow, in time, the ultrafast energy relaxation dynamics of the 3p to 3s internal conversion and the ensuing cluster evaporation, proton transfer, and structural dynamics. While evaporation of the cluster occurs in the 3s Rydberg state, proton transfer dominates on the ion surface. The mass-spectrum shows protonated species that arise from a proton transfer from the alpha-carbon of the neutral parent molecule to the N-atom of its ionized partner in the dimer. DFT calculations support the proton transfer mechanism between tightly bonded cluster components. The photoelectron spectrum shows broad peaks, ascribed to molecular clusters, which have an instantaneous shift of about 0.5 eV toward lower binding energies. That shift is attributed to the charge redistribution associated with the induced dipoles in surrounding cluster molecules. A time-dependent shift that decreases the Rydberg electron binding energy by a further 0.4 eV arises from the structural reorganization of the cluster solvent molecules as they react to the sudden creation of a charge.     

不同受限状态下链硫醇的非线性光学响应

以和频(SFG)振动光谱技术探测了正十二硫醇(DDT)在不同受限状态下的分子振动信号, 包括金属基底上的自组装单层(SAM)分子, 放置在二氧化硅基底上的表面DDT化的金纳米粒子以及金纳米粒子的甲苯溶液. 在三种状态下都探测到了来自于DDT分子的振动光谱, 振动光谱的区别提供了在不同受限态下DDT分子的结构信息. 在金属基底上DDT分子排列规整, 放置在二氧化硅基底上的金纳米粒子表面的DDT分子具有一定的柔性, 在空气-甲苯溶液界面金纳米粒子表面的DDT分子高度无序. 此外, 光谱实验显示, 金纳米粒子表面的分子振动信号产生了局域场增强的效应, 相对于金基底上的自组装单层分子而言, 增强系数为10²-10³, 取决于光谱的偏振组合.     

Two-color resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization study of the lowest Rydberg p state of bis(eta6-benzene)chromium and its deuterated derivatives

Two-color resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) spectra of jet-cooled (eta(6)-C(6)H(6))(2)Cr(1), (eta(6)-C(6)D(6))(2)Cr(2), and (eta(6)-C(6)D(6))(eta(6)-C(6)D(5)H)Cr(3) have been measured with use of the 3d(z)2-->R4p(x,y) Rydberg transition as the first step of the electronic excitation. The 0(0) (0) Rydberg component shifts by 59 and 54 cm(-1) to red when one goes from 1 to 2 and 3, respectively. Surprisingly, the REMPI spectra of 1-3 show very rich vibronic structures revealing both totally symmetric vibrations and degenerate vibrational modes. Presence of intense peaks corresponding to the e(2g) modes in the spectra of 1 and 2 is indicative of Jahn-Teller coupling in the R4p(x,y) Rydberg state. Additional REMPI resonances appear on going from 1 and 2 to 3 as a result of the symmetry reduction. The vibronic components in the spectra of 1-3 were assigned on the basis of the selection rules and comparison with the vibrational frequencies of the 1 and 2 ground-state molecules. The frequencies of over 10 normal vibrations have been determined for the gas-phase 1-3 Rydberg-state molecules from the REMPI experiment. The wavenumber corresponding to the lowest-energy mode (the ring torsion vibration) appears to be 40 cm(-1) in 1 and 35 cm(-1) in the deuterated complexes. The REMPI peaks are homogeneously broadened. The lower lifetime limits for the upper-state components increase on going from the vibrationless level to higher-lying vibronic states and on going from 1 to the deuterated derivatives.     

Cluster size effects in core excitons of 1s-excited nitrogen

Cluster size effects in core excitons below the N 1s ionization energy of nitrogen clusters are reported in the energy regime 405-410 eV. These results are compared to the molecular Rydberg states as well as the corresponding bulk excitons of condensed nitrogen. The experimental results are assigned using ab initio calculations. It is found that the lowest excitons (N 1s-->3ssigma and N 1s-->3ppi) are blueshifted relative to the molecular Rydberg transitions, whereas others (N 1s-->3dpi and N 1s-->4ppi) show a redshift. Results from ab initio calculations on (N(2))(13) clearly indicate that the molecular orientation within a cluster is critical to the spectral shift, where bulk sites as well as inner- and outer-surface sites are characterized by different inner-shell absorption energies. These results are compared to the experimental spectra as well as previous work on site-selectively excited atomic van der Waals clusters, providing an improved spectral assignment of core exciton states in weakly bound molecular clusters and the corresponding condensed phase.     

Dynamics of small,floppy molecules studied by high-resolution spectroscopic techniques

In molecular spectroscopy one of the common interests is how to transform the information obtained by high-resolution spectroscopic techniques into some reliable approximation of the potential energy surface of a particular molecule. Traditionally vibrational spectroscopy has been used. Rotational spectroscopy can only probe, at least at room temperature, molecular transitions arising from excited vibrational states up to approximately 1000 cm^?1. This corresponds roughly to 10% of a typical bond dissociation energy. However, floppy molecules which exhibit a large-amplitude, low-lying vibrational mode can be studied to a large extent by rotational spectroscopy in the microwave, millimeter and submillimeter wave range. Quasilinearity is a special form of large-amplitude motion, which complicates the observed molecular spectra substantially and which presents a real challenge to theoretical spectroscopists. In this lecture the highlights of quasilinear behavior of the molecules HCNO, OCCCO, HNCS and HNCO will be discussed. Another form of large amplitude motion is the inversion exhibited primarily by molecules derived from NH₃. Isocyanamide will be discussed and its special spectroscopic features will be shown. Cyanamide and isocyanamide are potential prebiotic molecules: cyanamide has been detected as a constituent in the interstellar medium. The analysis of the molecular dynamics of these molecules is shown to be necessary for understanding the frequencies and intensities of the observed spectra in the laboratory and in interstellar space.