Detection of SF<Subscript>6</Subscript> molecules sublimating from the surface of (CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis></Subscript> nanoparticles in a cluster beam by the infrared multiphoton excitation method

It has been found that SF₆ molecules captured by large van der Waals clusters (CO₂) _N (where N ≥ 10² is the number of monomers in a cluster) in intersecting molecular and cluster beams sublimate from the surface of clusters after a certain time and carry information on the velocity and temperature (internal energy) of clusters. Experiments have been carried out for detecting these molecules by means of a pyroelectric detector and the infrared multiphoton excitation method. The multiphoton absorption spectra of molecules sublimating from the surface of clusters have been obtained. The temperature of the (CO₂) _N nanoparticles in the cluster beam has been estimated using these spectra and comparing them with the infrared multiphoton absorption spectra of SF₆ in the initial molecular beam.     

Measurement of nanoparticle temperature in a (CO2) N cluster beam using SF6 molecules as tiny probe thermometers

A temperature measurement technique using SF₆ molecules as tiny probe thermometers is described, and results are presented, for large (CO₂) _N van der Waals clusters (with N ≥ 10²) in a cluster beam. The SF₆ molecules captured by (CO₂) _N clusters in crossed cluster and molecular beams sublimate (evaporate) after a certain time, carrying information about the cluster velocity and internal temperature. Experiments are performed using detection of these molecules with an uncooled pyroelectric detector and infrared multiphoton excitation. The multiphoton absorption spectra of molecules sublimating from clusters are compared with the IR multiphoton absorption spectra of SF₆ in the incoming beam. As a result, the nanoparticle temperature in the (CO₂) _N cluster beam is estimated as T _cl < 150 K. Time-of-flight measurements using a pyroelectric detector and a pulsed CO₂ laser are performed to determine the velocity (kinetic energy) of SF₆ molecules sublimating from clusters, and the cluster temperature is found to be T _cl = 105 ± 15 K. The effects of various factors on the results of nanoparticle temperature measurements are analyzed. The potential use of the proposed technique for vibrational cooling of molecules to low temperatures is discussed.     

The geometric structure of pure SF6 and mixed Ar/SF6 clusters investigated by core level photoelectron spectroscopy

The S 2p core level photoelectron spectra of Sulphurhexafluoride clusters have been investigated together with heterogeneous Ar/SF₆ clusters, created by doping Ar host clusters (with a mean size of 3600 atoms) with the molecule. Surface and bulk features are resolved both in the argon 2p and the sulphur 2p core level photoelectron spectra. For the latter level such features were only observed in the pure cluster case; a single feature characterizes the S 2p core level spectra of SF₆ doped argon clusters. From the chemical shifts, investigated with respect to SF₆ doping pressure. It can be concluded that the host clusters get smaller with increasing doping pressures and that the SF₆ molecules predominantly stay below the cluster surface, whereas the Argon core stays intact. We have neither observed features corresponding to SF₆ on the cluster surface, nor features corresponding to molecules deep inside the bulk in any of the spectra from the pick-up experiments.     

Temperature determination of (CF<Subscript>3</Subscript>I)<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis></Subscript> clusters in a beam by time-of-flight measurements of IR-laser excited SF<Subscript>6</Subscript> molecules sublimating from the surface of clusters

The method is described and the experimental results are presented on the temperature determination of the (CF₃I) _N clusters in a beam (N ⩽ 10² is a number of monomers in a cluster) using SF₆ molecules from intersecting molecular beam as probe thermometers. The SF₆ molecules are captured by clusters in the crossed cluster and molecular beams and, after a certain time, sublimate from the surface of clusters carrying information on the velocity and temperature (internal energy) of clusters. Using time-of-flight (TOF) method the kinetic energy (velocity) of sublimated SF₆ molecules was measured and the temperature of clusters was determined to be T _cl = (88 ± 15) K.     

Universal probe method for measuring the temperature of large clusters (nanoparticles) in a cluster beam

A universal probe method for measuring the temperature of large clusters (nanoparticles) in a cluster beam has been proposed and experimentally implemented. The temperature of large van der Waals clusters (nanoparticles) (CO₂) _N (where N ⩾ 10² is the number of monomers in a cluster) in the cluster beam is measured using this method with SF₆ molecules as miniature probe thermometers. The SF₆ molecules are captured by the (CO₂) _N clusters in intersecting cluster and molecular beams and sublimate from the surface of the clusters, carrying information on the velocity and temperature (internal energy) of the clusters. The velocity (kinetic energy) of SF₆ molecules sublimating from the surface of the clusters has been measured by the time-of-flight method and the temperature of the clusters has been determined as T _cl = (105 ± 15) K.     

Relative intensities in X-ray photoelectron spectra.: Part VIII

The photoionization cross-sections for the 3s and 3p shells of atomic Si, P, S, and Cl and the S²⁺ ion, and for the 2s and 2p shells of atomic F have been calculated using the random-phase approximation with exchange (RPAE) for the average-configuration term. Using the theoretical atomic cross-section values, the partial cross-sections for photoionization of the SF₆ molecule have been calculated for hv ? 54 eV and the photoelectron spectra have been interpreted. The calculation of relative intensities in the photoelectron spectra of H₂S is presented. The influence of the effective charge of an atom on the photoionization cross-section value for a molecular level is shown.     

Diode laser spectrum of the ν3 band of 34SF6

A diode laser was used to measure the absorption spectrum of the ν₃ band of ³⁴SF₆. This isotopic species, which is present in the natural sample (4.2%), was cooled in a molecular beam of pure SF₆. Subbranches up to J = 22 were recorded and identified. The molecular parameters, determined with a simple fitting procedure, are compared with those known of ³²SF₆ and ³³SF₆.     

Selective multiphoton IR dissociation of SF6 molecules under nonequilibrium conditions of a pulsed gasodynamically cooled molecular flow interacting with a solid surface

The process of the isotope-selective multiphoton IR dissociation of SF₆ molecules under the non-equilibrium conditions of a pulsed gasodynamically cooled molecular flow interacting with a solid surface was experimentally studied. The SF₆ molecules dissociate as a result of excitation in a shock wave generated in the flow, in the flow incident onto the sold surface, and in an unperturbed flow (in the absence of the solid). The experiment was based on detecting the luminescence from HF^* molecules (λ ≈ 2.5) μm) accompanying the SF₆ dissociation in the presence of H₂ or CH₄, the emission intensity being a measure of the SF₆ dissociation yield. The molecular beam parameters were studied. The time-of-flight spectra of SF₆ in the flow interacting with the surface were measured under various experimental conditions. The spectral and energy characteristics of the SF₆ dissociation process were determined in the flow interacting with the solid surface and in the unperturbed flow. The dissociation product (SF₄) yield was measured and the coefficient of its enrichment with the ³⁴S isotope was determined. It is demonstrated that, using the shock wave formation, it is possible to increase the efficiency of the isotope-selective dissociation of SF₆ molecules. An explanation of the observed results is proposed. The gas density and temperature in the incident flow and in the shock wave were estimated. The results are analyzed and compared to the other published data on the SF₆ dissociation in a molecular beam.     

Isotope effects in the vibrational spectrum of the SF<Subscript>6</Subscript> molecule

The IR absorption spectra of solutions of SF₆ in liquid argon are studied at a temperature of 93 K in the concentration interval 10^?5–10^?7 mole fractions. A sample with a natural abundance of isotopes and a monoisotope ³⁴SF₆ sample are studied. The frequencies, half-widths, and relative intensities of bands in the vibrational spectrum of all isotopomers of the molecule are determined. For the ³⁴SF₆ molecule, the ratio of integral absorption coefficients of fundamental bands A(ν₄)/A(ν₃)=0.07(6) is larger than ³²SF₆:A(ν₄)/A(ν₃)=0.66(4) for the ³²SF₆ molecule, which corresponds to the same signs of P′₃ and P′₄. The change in the intensity of the ν₂+ν₆ and ν₅+ν₆ bands upon isotopic substitution is explained by the change in the resonance contributions of due to the isotope shift of the ν₃ band.     

Interaction of intense beams of highly vibrationally excited molecules with molecules (clusters) condensed on a cold surface

The interaction of intense beams of SF₆ and CF₃I molecules, excited by powerful IR laser radiation to high vibrational states (0.3 eV ≤ E _vib ≤ 2.0 eV), with molecules (clusters) condensed on a cold surface (T _s ≈ 80–85 K) has been studied. The probability that the excited and unexcited molecules are reflected from the cold metal surface covered by condensed molecules (clusters), as well as the probability that such excited and unexcited molecules are transmitted through a cooled multichannel metal plate and a converging cone oriented at an angle relative to the molecular beam axis, has been determined. Expressions for these probabilities of reflection and transmission as functions of the angle of incidence and the parameters of the exciting laser radiation and the molecular beam are obtained. It is shown that highly vibrationally excited molecules are reflected from the surface and transmitted through the plates and cones with a much higher probability than unexcited molecules. The results suggest that this phenomenon can be used for the separation of molecules in a beam with respect to isotope (or atomic) composition.     

High resolution study of anion formation in low-energy electron attachment to SF<Subscript>6</Subscript> molecules in a seeded supersonic beam

Using two variants of the Laser Photoelectron Attachment (LPA) method involving a differentially-pumped, seeded supersonic beam (0.05% and 12.5% of SF₆ molecules in helium carrier gas, nozzle temperatures T₀= 300–600 K, stagnation pressures p₀= 1–5 bar) and mass spectrometric ion detection, we have investigated the energy dependence of anion formation in low-energy electron collisions with SF₆ molecules at high energy resolution. Using the standard LPA method, the yield for SF₆^- as well as SF₅^- and F^- anions was studied with an energy width around 1 meV over the electron energy range 0–200 meV. In addition, a variant of the LPA method with extended energy range (denoted as EXLPA) was developed and applied to measure the yield for SF₆^- and SF₅^- formation over the energy range 0–1.5 eV with an energy width of about 20 meV. The cross-section for formation of SF₆^- decreases by five orders of magnitude over the range 1–500 meV and is only weakly dependent on nozzle temperature. The yield for SF₅^- formation shows — apart from a weak zero energy peak which grows strongly with rising temperature — a broad maximum (located around 0.6 eV for T₀= 300 K and shifting to lower energies with rising T₀) and a monotonical decrease towards higher energies. SF₅^- attachment spectra taken at elevated temperatures exhibit changes with rising stagnation pressure which directly reflect rovibrational cooling of the SF₆ molecules with rising pressure. The SF₅^-/SF₆^- intensity ratio at near-zero energy and the low-energy shape of the broad peak in the SF₅^- spectra are used as thermometers for the internal temperature of the SF₆ molecules in the seeded supersonic beam which (at p₀= 1 bar) are found to be 50–100 K lower than the nozzle temperature. The energy dependence of the yield for F^- formation is similar to that for SF₆^-, but the F^- signals are three to four orders of magnitude lower than those for SF₆^-; in view of the rather high endothermicity of F^- formation the origin of the F^- signals is discussed in some detail.     

The formation of an intense secondary pulsed molecular beam and obtaining accelerated molecules and radicals in it

A method for obtaining an intense secondary pulsed molecular beam is described. The kinetic energy of molecules in the beam can be controlled by vibrational excitation of the molecules in the source under high-power IR laser radiation. A compression shock (shock wave) is used as a source of secondary beams. The shock wave is formed in interaction between an intense pulsed supersonic molecular beam (or flow) and a solid surface. The characteristics of the secondary beam were studied. Its intensity and the degree of gas cooling in it were comparable with the corresponding characteristics of the unperturbed primary beam. Vibrational excitation of molecules in the shock wave and subsequent vibrational-translational relaxation, which occurs when a gas is expanded in a vacuum, allow the kinetic energy of molecules in the secondary beam to be substantially increased. Intense [≥10²⁰ molecules/(sr s)] beams of SF₆ and CF₃I molecules with kinetic energies approximately equal to 1.5 and 1.2 eV, respectively, were generated in the absence of carrier gases, and SF₆ molecular beams with kinetic energies approximately equal to 2.5 and 2.7 eV with He (SF₆/He=1/10) and H₂ (SF₆/H₂=1/10) as carrier gases, respectively, were obtained. The spectral and energy characteristics of acceleration of SF₆ molecules in the secondary beams were studied. The optimal conditions were found for obtaining high-energy molecules. The possibility of accelerating radicals in secondary molecular beams was demonstrated.     

Pure rotational spectra of 32SF535Cl, 32SF537Cl,and 34SF535Cl up to 300 GHz

Pure rotational spectra of the three molecules ³²SF₅³⁵Cl, ³²SF₅³⁷Cl, and ³⁴SF₅³⁵Cl in their ground vibrational states have been observed up to 300 GHz (8 < J < 80). Molecular parameters have been computed with good accuracy for the three isotopic species. The “K-type” splitting characteristic of molecules belonging to the C_4v symmetry group has been clearly seen and measured.     

Diode-laser spectroscopy of supersonic free jets

A supersonic-free-jet infrared spectrometer has been constructed for investigation of molecular vibrational spectra at low rotational and vibrational temperatures. The sensitivity of measurement in a pulsed jet is increased by employing a phase-sensitive detection method synchronized with the pulse frequency. The performance of the spectrometer is examined for the absorption lines of the NH₃ v ₂ band. A rotational temperature as low as 16K is attained when seeded in He. Cold-jet spectra are demonstrated for thev ₃ bands of PF₅,³⁴SF₆, and¹⁸²WF₆.     

The microwave spectrum of the pyramidal isomer of disulfur difluoride: SSF2

The pyramidal isomer of disulfur difluoride, SSF₂, has been prepared by passing gaseous disulfur dichloride through heated potassium fluoride. The microwave spectra of three isotopic species of SSF₂ have been measured in the 26- to 76-GHz frequency region. For the most abundant isotopic species transitions with J values up to 79 have been observed. These data have been combined with previous measurements of low-J lines by R. L. Kuczkowski [J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 86, 3617–3621 (1964)] and fit to obtain values for the rotational constants and centrifugal distortion constants. The quartic centrifugal distortion constants have been used together with existing vibrational data to determine an harmonic force field for the molecule. Finally, ground state average and equilibrium structures have been calculated for SSF₂.     

Influence of collisions and pulse intensity on multiple photon absorption in SF6

Using a pyroelectric detector, the multiple photon absorption (MPA) of the SF₆ molecule in a wide range of pressures (10^-3 -1 torr) has been studied. The significant role of collisions in MPA has been shown. The fraction of molecules excited under essentially collisionless conditions has been defined. It is shown that under collisionless excitation of SF₆ (p < 10^-2 torr) at energy fluences E < 10^-1 J/cm² the intensity of the laser pulse plays the essential role, while in presence of collisions MPA is determined mainly by the energy fluence in the pulse.     

Generation of high-energy secondary pulsed molecular beams

A method is suggested for generating high-intensity secondary pulsed molecular beams in which the kinetic energy of molecules can be controlled by an intense laser IR radiation through the vibrational excitation of molecules in the source. High-intensity [≥10²⁰ molecule/(sr s)] SF₆ molecular beams with a kinetic energy of ?1.0 eV without carrier gas and of ?1.9 and ?2.4 eV with carrier He (SF₆/He=1/10) and H₂ (SF₆/H₂=1/10) gases, respectively, were obtained.     

High-resolution Raman spectroscopy of the ν1 region and Raman-Raman double resonance spectroscopy of the 2ν1−ν1 band of SF6 and SF6. Determination of the equilibrium bond length of sulfur hexafluoride

The ν₁ region of ³²SF₆ and ³⁴SF₆ has been studied by stimulated Raman spectroscopy. For both isotopomers, a detailed analysis has been performed. Several hot bands (ν₁+ν₆−ν₆, ν₁+2ν₆−2ν₆, ν₁+ν₅−ν₅) have been taken into account to calculate synthetic spectra that satisfactorily reproduce the experimental data. These results, together with the previous studies of the other fundamental bands have allowed us to determine the equilibrium bond length of sulfur hexafluoride as r_e=1.5560(1) Å, in very good agreement with recent ab initio calculations. The 2ν₁−ν₁ band has also been studied for both isotopomers by Raman-Raman double resonance spectroscopy and the resulting spectra have been analyzed. In this case, a striking difference is observed between the two isotopomers, since the 2ν₁−ν₁ band of ³⁴SF₆ appears to have a very narrow structure that could not be rotationally resolved under the present experimental conditions. All analyses have been performed thanks to the HTDS program suite (http://www.u-bourgogne.fr/LPUB/hTDS.html) dedicated to octahedral XY₆ molecules.     

Infrared diode laser spectroscopy of FCO: The ν1 and ν2 bands

The ν₁ (CO stretching) and ν₂ (CF stretching) bands of the FCO radical were observed with Doppler-limited resolution by an infrared diode laser spectrometer with Zeeman and source modulation. The FCO radical was generated by a 60-Hz discharge in one of the following three gas mixtures: O₂ + C₂F₄, CO + SF₆, and CO + C₂F₄, all diluted with He. The observed spectra were analyzed to determine the rotational constants, the centrifugal distortion constants, and the spin-rotation interaction constants. The band origins, 1861.6372(1) and 1026.1283(1) cm^?1 [with standard errors in parentheses], which were obtained, were found to agree well with matrix data, 1857 and 1023 cm^?1, respectively. The assignment of the observed spectra to the FCO radical was further supported by observing the ν₁ band of F¹³CO, which was obtained from ¹³CO and SF₆. The molecular structure and the force field of FCO are briefly discussed by using molecular constants obtained from the observed spectra.     

X-ray emission spectra and electronic structure of VO,VN, VC

The experimental K_β5 and L_α emission spectra for vanadium and K_α spectra for nonmetal are studied for vanadium monoxide, nitride and carbide. Using the spectra unfolding the experimental molecular orbital diagrams have been obtained. By the semiempirical Mulliken-Wolfsberg-Helmholz method with the self-consistency on charges and configurations the calculations of electronic structure of clusters [VO₆]^10?, [VN₆]^15? and [VC₆]^20? have been carried out. The results of calculations are compared with the X-ray data. The effects of chemical bonding and charge densities on metal atoms in VO, VN, VC are discussed.