Semiempirical estimates of the correlation energy in small clusters of hydrogen atoms

The Pamuk EPCE-F2σ method is applied to neutral and charged clusters composed from 2–9 hydrogen atoms. The range of applicability of the method is demonstrated with H₂, H ₃ ⁺ , and H₃ by comparing the results with the reported rigorous SCF and CI calculations. Predictions of the correlation energy were made for larger hydrogen atom systems, the emphasis being laid in the discussion on H₄, H ₅ ⁺ , and H₆.     

Potential energy surfaces for the interaction of hydrogen atoms with beryllium metal clusters

With a modified CNDO/2 molecular orbital approach, potential energy surfaces are computed for the attack of beryllium atom clusters simulating “smooth” (0001) and “corrugated” (1010) faces of beryllium metal. Several stable sites for chemisorption are found with binding energies of 40–55 kcal/mole, but penetration of the lattice appears possible at some points. Results are compared with the preliminary ab initio predictions of Bauschlicher, Liskow, Bender and Schaefer.     

Theoretical study and atoms in molecule analysis of hydrogen bonded clusters of ammonia and isocyanic acid

Abstract  

Ab initio and density functional calculations were used to analyze the interaction between a molecule of the isocyanic acid with 1 up to 4 molecules of ammonia at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) and MP2/6-311++G(d,p) computational levels. The cooperative effect is increased with the increasing size of studied clusters. Red shifts of the H–N stretching frequency for complexes involving the isocyanic acid as an H-donor were predicted. Atom in molecules was used to analyze cooperative effects on topological parameters.     

Evaporation of atoms from metal clusters

The evaporation of atoms from metal clusters following photon absorption has been investigated by comparing the predictions of the statistical Weisskopf approach with the one of macroscopic kinetic theory. The consequences on the evaporation rate due to finite size effects in the separation energy and to the initial temperature of the cluster are also discussed.     

Metal atoms and clusters in fullerene cages

Fullerenes containing metal atoms and clusters can be formed by the arc-vaporization method. The electronic structure of these metallofullerenes can be probed using magnetic resonance techniques. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of LaC₈₂, YC₈₂, ScC₈₂ and Sc₃C₈₂ have been obtained. Metallofullerenes containing a single metal atom (MC₈₂ with M = La, Y, or Sc), have small hyperfine couplings and g-values close to 2, implying that they can be described as + 3 metal cations within — 3 fullerene radical anion cages. In the La and Y cases, additional EPR active MC₈₂ species have been found. The EPR spectrum of Sc₃C₈₂ shows that the metal atoms are equivalent, suggesting that they may form a triangular molecule. No EPR spectrum is found for Y₂C₈₂ or for Sc₂C_2n species (with 2n = 82,84,86), suggesting that they are diamagnetic. Sc NMR spectra of a solution containing Sc₂C_2n species have been obtained which confirm the diamagnetism of the discandium metallofullerenes.     

Multiphoton-ionization of hydrogen atoms in intense laserfields

The interaction of hydrogen atoms with strong laser fields at intensities up to some 10¹³ W cm^?2 was studied experimentally at the wavelengths λ=355 nm, 532 nm and 1064 nm. The ion yield, the energy spectrum of the photoelectrons and their angular distributions were measured. The angular distributions at λ=355 nm and λ=532 nm provide a sensitive test for theoretical calculations. Comparison with the calculations available shows that perturbation theory with proper inclusion of atomic structure yields results which agree with experiment. Intensity dependent changes of angular distributions at λ=532 nm are observed, which indicate that at 10¹³ W cm^?2 higher order processes become noticable. At λ=1064 nm the situation is more complicated, experimentally as well as theoretically. Intensities of some 10¹³ W cm^?2 are necessary to observe ionization. Strong distortions of the atomic structure can be expected. Presently only qualitative aspects of the angular distributions can be discussed.     

Diffusion of hydrogen atoms in spherical vessels

A previously developed model for active species concentration profiles in infinite cylindrical systems has been extended to include the spherical system. The model couples the processes of diffusion to and reaction at the wall. Predictions of time buildup under conditions of homogeneous production by light, and time decay after extinguishing the light source, are made for H atoms. Such predictions require a knowledge of the wall recombination coefficient and the binary diffusion coefficient for H in heat bath gas. The model is experimentally tested by measuring the first-order decay constants of H at room temperature in various pressures (10-1500 torr) of six heat bath gases. The atomic concentration is monitored by Lyman-α absorption photometry. The results show good agreement with model predictions in the various heat bath gases up to ～400 torr and depend only on one parameter,γ, the recombi-nation coefficient. This should be contrasted with the earlier work where slight variation in γ was invoked. The rate constants at pressures higher than 400 torr are consistently higher than model predictions.     

Electronic shells and shells of atoms in metallic clusters

Intensity anomalies (magic numbers) have been observed in the mass spectra of sodium clusters containing up to 22 000 atoms. For small clusters (Na _n ,n≤1500) the anomalies appear to be due to the filling of electronic shells (groups of subshells having the same energy). The shells can be characterized rather well by a pseudoquantum-number, indicating the possible existence of a symmetry higher than spherical. The mass spectra of larger clusters (1500≤n≤22 000) are well explained by the completion of icosahedral or cuboctahedral shells of atoms. The fact that the two types of shells (electron and atom) occur in distinct and non-overlapping size intervals might indicate the existence of a “liquid” to “solid” transition in going from small to large clusters.     

The melting behavior of small clusters of atoms

The melting transition of small clusters composed of 13 particles interacting via the Lennard-Jones 6-12 potential has been investigated by means of extensive Metropolis Monte Carlo simulations. The results indicate that whereas the cluster evaporates in vacuum, in a confined pore the cluster undergoes a smooth melting transition from an icosahedral microcrystal to an inhomogeneous liquid phase, with a specific heat peak centered at 39 K. No evidence was found to support the suggestion of a solid-liquid transition in vacuum at 29 K.     

Reaction of hydrogen atoms with dimethyldisulfide

Hydrogen atoms, generated by the mercury (³P₁) sensitization of H₂, were allowed to react with dimethyldisulfide in the temperature range of 25–155°C. The only retrievable product is methanethiol, formed in the primary metathetical reaction \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ {\rm H} + {\rm CH}_3 {\rm SSCH}_3 {\rm CH}_3 {\rm SH} + {\rm CH}_3 {\rm S} $\end{document}. The intermediacy of thiyl radicals was clearly demonstrated in experiments carried out in the presence of ethylene where one of the major products detected was ethyl methyl sulfide, formed via CH₃S + C₂H₅ → CH₃SC₂H₅. The major fate of the CH₃S radical is recombination and disproportionation, and the yield of methanethiol formed via disproportionation contributes less than 5% to the total thiol yield. The rate coefficient of step 1, from competition with the reaction \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ {\rm H} + {\rm C}_{\rm 2} {\rm H}_{\rm 4} {\rm C}_{\rm 2} {\rm H}_5 $\end{document}, is k₁ = (5.7 ± 1.2) × 10¹² exp[? (100 ± 100)/RT] cm³/mol sec.     

Participation of preadsorbed atoms in heterogeneous recombination of hydrogen atoms on semiconductor surfaces

Atoms trapped from the vapor phase in the preadsorbed state were found to provide the catalytic activity of semiconductors in the heterogeneous recombination of hydrogen atoms.     

MCD spectroscopy and magnetization studies of matrix-isolated aluminium atoms

The electronic absorption spectra and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra of matrix-isolated aluminium atoms have been studied with particular reference to the 3p4s and 3p3d transitions. The g values of the isolated atoms also have been measured via the MCD magnetization technique. It is found that, in all matrices, the orbital angular momentum of the atom is heavily quenched giving g values very near 2.0. A consistent analysis of this phenomenon and of the spectra has been developed using a model in which the surrounding noble gas atoms exert an electrostatic field upon the aluminium atom and also enter into molecular orbital formation with it. This interpretation leads to the conclusion that the spin-orbit coupling of the optical electron is negative in both ground and excited states for Al/Kr and Al/Xe, but in the excited state only for Al/Ar. These results confirm and extend the findings of earlier EPR measurements.     

Electron and hydrogen transfer in small hydrogen fluoride anion clusters

A new stable structure has been found for the anion clusters of hydrogen fluoride. The ab initio method was used to optimize the structures of the (HF)(3)(-), (HF)(4)(-), (HF)(5)(-), and (HF)(6)(-) anion clusters with an excess "solvated" electron. Instead of the well-known "zig-zag" (HF)(n)(-) structure, a new form, (HF)(n-1)F(-)···H, was found with lower energy. In this new form, the terminal hydrogen atom in the (HF)(n)(-) chain is separated from the other part of the cluster and the inner hydrogens transfer along the hydrogen bonds toward the outside fluoride. The negative charge also transfers from the terminal HF molecule of the chain to the center fluoride atoms. The (HF)(n)(-) clusters for n = 4, 5, and 6 have not yet been observed experimentally. These results should assist in the search for these systems and also provide a possible way to study the proton and electron transfer in some large hydrogen bonding systems.     

Naked clusters of 56 tin atoms in the solid state

Isolated, gigantic tin clusters of 56 atoms are discovered in the ternary compound Ba(16)Na(204)Sn(310) (cubic, F(-)43m, Z = 1, a = 25.2041(8) A) made by direct fusion of the elements at 800 degrees C. The cluster, made of four face-fused pentagonal dodecahedra, has 36 pentagonal faces and 90 edges, and resembles a concave fullerene "dented" at four places. It is made of three- and four-bonded tin atoms and is "stuffed" with four barium cations, [Ba(4)@Sn(56)](36-). This is the largest main group naked cluster in the solid state besides the fullerenes. Also occurring in the structure are two other isolated clusters of tin, Sn(16-n) (n = 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4) and Sn(8).     

Theory for excess electrons in clusters of rare gas atoms

An exact theory for excess electrons in clusters of rare gas atoms is limited to small sizes,n < 20, because of many body polarization interactions which make it necessary to solve a large system of linear equations. We present a simple dielectric screening approximation, which avoids this difficulty and which is in very good agreement with the exact calculation. This approximation can be used to examine the excitation energies of excess electrons and exciton energies in large clusters. A new atomic structure is proposed for a cluster of 12 Xe atoms, resulting in an increased binding energy for the excess electron, which is larger than the electron affinity of a cluster of 13 atoms. This might explain the relatively large abundance of Xe ₁₂ ^? observed in the experiment.     

Electron screening in low energy scattering of muonic hydrogen on hydrogen atoms

Electron screening corrections to the cross sections for low energy scattering of muonic hydrogen on hydrogen atoms are calculated. It is shown that the presence of the electron influences considerably the elastic cross sections at collision energies below 1 eV. This influence is relatively small for the spin-flip and isotopic exchange processes.     

Fragmentation of large ionized clusters of rare gas atoms

Molecular dynamics is used to examine the fragmentation of clusters of rare gas atoms after ionization. The cohesive energy is given by a quantum mechanical model with a delocalized hole. Very small clusters dissociate entirely into single atoms and a positively charged dimer. Larger clusters (e.g. Ne₁₃, Xe₁₃ and Ne₅₅) first eject rapid atoms, then thermalize and evaporate further atoms, which strongly decreases their size. Very large clusters (e.g. Xe₅₅) are only heated up after ionization and do not loose atoms. Thus the peaks in mass spectra do not show the atomic shell structure of neutral clusters up to rather large cluster sizes. Instead the stability of ionized clusters is reflected.