Kinetic-energy release distributions and stability of niobium-carbon clusters sputtered from the surface of niobium carbide by xenon ions

The results of studying the emission and fragmentation of niobium-carbon clusters Nb _m C _n ⁺ synthesized upon sputtering a niobium carbide surface with Xe⁺ ions are presented. The fragmentation channels of Nb _m C _n ⁺ clusters are studied. We present the values of the dissociation energy of some Nb _m C _n ⁺ clusters (m = 1–7, n = 2–8) calculated within the context of the “evaporation ensemble” model and theory of unimolecular reactions based on performed measurements of the kinetic-energy spectra of fragment ions. The obtained results are compared with published data.