The role of ionic quadrupolar deformation in atom-surface potential

We show that the quadrupolar deformation of surface ions gives appreciable contribution to the potential energy between the atom and an ionic surface. Calculations are presented for a number of alkali halides. The validity of Fumi and Tosi crystal radii in the surface region is discussed in connection with the depth and the corrugation parameter.     

Magic Numbers in Boson 4He Clusters: The Auger Evaporation Mechanism

The absence of magic numbers in bosonic ⁴He clusters predicted by all theories since 1984 has been challenged by high-resolution matter-wave diffraction experiments. The observed magic numbers were explained in terms of enhanced growth rates of specific cluster sizes for which an additional excitation level calculated by diffusion Monte Carlo is stabilized. The present theoretical study provides an alternative explanation based on a simple independent particle model of the He clusters. Collisions between cluster atoms in excited states within the cluster lead to selective evaporation via an Auger process. The calculated magic numbers as well as the shape of the number distributions are in quite reasonable agreement with the experiments.     

Isonitrile ligand properties as studied by He I/He II photoelectron spectroscopy

A new series of isonitrile-substituted cobalt tricarbonyl nitrosyl (Co(CO)₂(NO)CNR, R = Me, Et, ⁿPr, ⁱPr, ⁿBu, ⁿPe, CH₂Si(CH₃)₃) has been synthesized, and their He I ultraviolet photoelectron spectra are reported. The assignment of the bands in the low energy part of the spectra was performed with the aid of DFT calculations. The first vertical ionization energies of the complexes were found to be 7.73 (CNMe), 7.58 (CNEt), 7.59 (CNⁿPr), 7.70 (CNⁿBu), 7.67 (CNⁿPe), 7.77 (CNⁱPr), and 7.54 ± 0.03 eV (CNCH₂Si(CH₃)₃). In the case of ⁿPr- and CH₂Si(CH₃)₃- substitutions, He II photoelectron spectra were also recorded. The relative importance of electronic and steric effects of the isonitrile ligands, as a function of the size of group –R, is discussed.