Calculation of the electronic properties of neutral and ionized divalent-metal clusters

The electronic properties of neutral and ionized divalent-metal clusters have been studied using a microscopic theory, which takes into account the interplay between van der Waals (vdW) and covalent bonding in the neutral clusters, and the competition between hole delocalization and polarization energy in the ionized clusters. By calculating the ground-state energies of neutral and ionized Hg _n clusters, we determine the size dependence of the bond character and the ionization potentialI _p (n). For neutral Hg _n clusters we obtain a transition from van der Waals to covalent behaviour at the critical sizen _c ～10–20 atoms. Results forI _p (Hg _n ) withn≤20 are in good agreement with experiments, and suggest that small Hg _n ⁺ clusters can be viewed as consisting of a positive trimer core Hg ₃ ⁺ surrounded byn?3 polarized neutral atoms.     

Electronic and chemical properties of indium clusters

Indium clusters are produced by the inert gas condensation technique. The ionization potentials are found higher for small clusters than for the Indium atom. This is explained by thep character of the bonding as in Aluminium. Doubly charge clusters are also observed and fragmentation processes discussed. Finally small Indium clusters 3<n<9 are found very reactive with hydrocarbon.     

On the transition from localized to delocalized electronic states in divalent-metal clusters

The transition from van der Waals to covalent bonding, which is expected to occur in divalent-metal clusters with increasing cluster size, is discussed. We propose a model which takes into account, within the same electronic theory, the three main competing contributions, namely the kinetic energy of the electrons, the Coulomb interactions between electrons, and thes ?p intraatomic transitions responsible for van der Waals like bonding. The model is solved by taking into account electron correlations using a generalized Gutzwiller approximation (slave boson method). The occurrence of electron localization is studied as a function of the interaction parameters and cluster size.     

Electronic structure and magnetic properties of TMRh12 clusters

We report an experimental study of energy pooling collisions involving Cs atoms in the 6P and 5D states. The 5D state was populated by a cw dye-laser tuned to the cesium dipole-forbidden transition 6S → 5D at 685.0 nm. The 6P state was populated by subsequent radiative relaxation of the 5D state. The 6P population density was determined from the absorption of a cw diode-laser probe beam. The population densities of the 5D state and the higher, by energy pooling excited states were determined by measuring the corresponding fluorescence intensities relative to the fluorescence intensity from the optically thin quasi-static wings of the cesium D ₂ line. The rate coefficient for the process Cs*(6P)+Cs*(6P)→Cs**(6D)+Cs(6S) is found to be (4.2±0.13)×10^?10 cm³ s^?1 at T=570 K. In addition, estimates of the rate coefficients for the processes Cs*(6P)+Cs*(5D)→Cs**(7D)+Cs(6S) and Cs*(5D)+ Cs*(5D)→Cs**(7F)+Cs(6S) are given.     

Electronic structure and thermodynamic properties of dimeric mixed-valence clusters

A many-electron theory is proposed for exchange and tunneling levels of dimeric mixed-valence clusters. Transition-metal ions are examined, and it is established that the parameters of the Heisenberg and double-exchange interactions depend on the configuration of the d_n-electronic states. Temperature dependences are constructed for the effective magnetic moments and the electronic heat capacity.Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Éksperimental'naya Khimiya, Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 148–157, March–April, 1987.     

Electronic properties of aluminum clusters compared with the jellium model

The experimental polarizabilities, ionization potentials and electron affinities of aluminum clusters are compared with jellium predictions. It is found that the clusters have radii and work functions which are close to the jellium model predictions for clusters with more than 13 atoms. The polarizabilities of Al _n correspond with the jellium only forn>40 and the shell structure features in the ionization potentials are anomalous up to 37. We conclude that nonjellium effects are important up ton=40.     

Electronic structure and magnetic properties of small manganese oxide clusters

To investigate the electronic structure and magnetic properties of manganese oxide clusters, we carried out first-principles electronic structure calculations for small MnO clusters. Among various structural and magnetic configurations of the clusters, the bulklike [111]-antiferromagnetic ordering is found to be favored energetically, while the surface atoms of the clusters exhibit interesting electronic and magnetic characteristics which are different from their bulk ones. The distinct features of the surface atoms are mainly attributed to the reduction of Mn coordination numbers and the bond-length contractions in the clusters, which may serve as a key factor for the understanding of physical and chemical properties of magnetic oxide nanoparticles.     

Electronic properties of large metal clusters in jellium and pseudo-jellium models

The energy-density functional approach and jellium-like models are used to examine two important electronic properties of metal (Li, Na, K) clusters: their shell and supershell structures, and the behaviour of plasmon energies with increasing cluster sizes. A comparative study is made between predictions of the usual jellium model and those of the pseudo-jellium model where pseudohamiltonians are used.     

Electronic structure of Lanthanum-carbon clusters

As the attachment of a metal change the molecular and electronic structure of carbon clusters, the electronic properties as ionization potentials (IP) and electron affinities (EA) for small Lanthanum-carbon clusters LaC _n with n=1–6 have been investigated theoretically. They were studied by density-functional-theory (DFT) within LDA and considering Gradient corrections (GC) for the exchange-correlation potential ( Becke-Perdew). The results for both quantities were obtained in good agreement with the experimental data: odd-even alternating IP’s, and no alternations for the EA’s. The different charge location in the carbon chains or at the La atom can explain the different trends of both quantities, respectively.     

Electronic structure of metal clusters

Photoemission spectra of valence electrons in metal clusters, together with threshold ionization potential measurements, provide a coherent picture of the development of the electronic structure from the isolated atom to the large metallic cluster. An insulator-metal transition occurs at an intermediate cluster size, which serves to define the boundary between small and large clusters. Although the outer electrons may be delocalized over the entire cluster, a small cluster remains insulating until the density of states near the Fermi level exceeds 1/kT. In large clusters, with increasing cluster size, the band structure approaches that of the bulk metal. However, the bands remain significantly narrowed even in a 1000-atom cluster, giving an indication of the importance of long-range order. The core-electron binding-energy shifts of supported metal clusters depend on changes in the band structure in the initial state, as well as on various final-state effects, including changes in core hole screening and the coulomb energy of the final-state charge. For cluster supported on amorphous carbon, this macroscopic coulomb shift is often dominant, as evidenced by the parallel shifts of the core-electron binding energy and the Fermi edge. Auger data confirm that final-state effects dominate in cluster of Sn and some other metals. Surface atom core-level shifts provide a valuable guide to the contributions of initial-state changes in band structure to cluster core-electron binding energy shifts, especially for Au and Pt. The available data indicate that the shift observed in supported, metallic clusters arise largely from the charge left on the cluster by photoemission. As the metal-insulator transition is approached from above, metallic screening is suppressed and the shift is determined by the local environment.     

Electronic structure of small copper clusters

An all-electron ab initio LCAO -MO SCF calculation has been carried out for the electronic structure of small copper clusters (Cu_n, n = 2–6). The basis set superposition error occurring in the calculation, the equilibrium configuration of Cu₃, the bond energy in the clusters, and the localized d-hole in excited and ionized states of Cu₂ are closely examined.     

Electronic spectroscopy of small toluene clusters

Small clusters of toluene(n) (n = 1-8) were created in a supersonic expansion of toluene with argon as a carrier gas. Mass-selected resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization spectra of these clusters were recorded for each n. For the dimer, the appearance of the spectrum under warm and very cold conditions was studied. We discuss previous results in the light of the present spectra. For n>2, the spectra resemble very closely that of the dimer.     

Electronic structure of clusters modeling silica

Self-consistent-field-Xα-scattered wave calculations on clusters Si₂O₇^6? and H₆Si₂O₇ modeling silica have been performed. Incorporation of Si 3d orbitals produces significant changes in the overall valence structure. In addition to σ Si — O bonds, there exists a bonding π character due to the participation of O 2p and Si 3d. Hydrogen terminators do not seem to correct edge effects for these π states.     

Electronic properties of isolated GaNAsM clusters: photoionization-, photodissociation- and photoluminescence quantum yields

Photoionization quantum yields of Ga_NAs_M clusters with N + M = 85 ± 5 atoms in the spectral range of ω = 3.5–6.4 eV have been investigated by measuring their total photoabsorption and photoionization cross sections. It is found that the photoionization quantum yields of these clusters are strongly increased by about two orders of magnitude against the values of bulk GaAs. Photodissociation of the cluster provides another efficient channel whereas photoluminescence plays a minor role for the observed cluster size distributions with N + M typically between 30 and 130 atoms.     

Electronic shell structure in Cs-O clusters

Unusually high ionization energies have been observed for Cs-O clusters having certain sizes and composition, namely for Cs_2n+zO_n with z=8, 18, 34, 58 and 92. The anomalies are well-defined for clusters containing from 1 to 7 oxygen atoms. The indicated values of z are identical to the number of electrons in closed shells of angular momentum.     

Electronic structures of exohedral lanthanide-C60 clusters

We have studied the electronic structures of several gas phase exohedral lanthanide (Ln)-C(60) clusters, Ln(n)C(60) (Ln=Pr, Ho, Tb, Tm, Eu, and Yb) with n=1-4, by photoionization spectroscopy of the neutrals and photoelectron spectroscopy of their anions. Both of the spectroscopic analyses reveal that most of the Ln atoms preferably take +3 oxidation states, while Eu atoms alone assume +2 oxidation states, and that C(60) accepts up to twelve donated electrons in Ln(n)C(60). An additional photoionization examination of the oxygen atom mixing into the Ln(n)C(60) clusters demonstrated that each oxygen atom reduces two electrons from C(60). This result implies that the number of accepted electrons in C(60) can be varied by a suitable choice of the number of Ln atoms and O atoms.     

Electronic structure of Cr clusters on graphite

The electronic structure of small chromium clusters deposited by evaporation onto clean polycrystalline graphite has been studied by means of Auger, X-ray Photoemission (XPS) and Electron Energy Loss (EELS) spectroscopies. The XPS results show an increase in the binding energy of both core levels and valence band reducing the cluster size. The EELS measurements show a variation of the intensity ratio of L₃-to-L₂ ionization core edges. We interpret this change as due to different redistribution, within the clusterd-band, of the empty states above the Fermi level. As a consequence the XPS results may also be attributed to sizeable change of the electronic structure of the small clusters.     

Electronic spectroscopy of para-fluorotoluene clusters

We report (1 + 1) resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization spectra for clusters of para-fluorotoluene (pFT)_n (n = 1–11). After n = 2, the spectra appear to have converged in appearance, suggestive of a dimer chromophore, with weak bonding for subsequent additions of pFT molecules. The spectra also indicate dramatic, vibrational-mode-sensitive changes of oscillator strength between the monomer and the clusters. We also briefly describe the results of probing different parts of the expansion, and varying the laser power.     

Electronic stress tensor analysis of hydrogenated palladium clusters

We study the chemical bonds of small palladium clusters Pd _n (n?=?2?9) saturated by hydrogen atoms using electronic stress tensor. Our calculation includes bond orders which are recently proposed based on the stress tensor. It is shown that our bond orders can classify the different types of chemical bonds in those clusters. In particular, we discuss Pd?CH bonds associated with the H atoms with high coordination numbers and the difference of H?CH bonds in the different Pd clusters from viewpoint of the electronic stress tensor. The notion of ??pseudo-spindle structure?? is proposed as the region between two atoms where the largest eigenvalue of the electronic stress tensor is negative and corresponding eigenvectors forming a pattern which connects them.