Application of B–E time-of-flight mass spectrometry to the detection of high-energy neutral atoms following the photoexcitation of Ar

A novel instrument which combines high-resolution double-focusing mass spectrometry with time-of-flight detection was applied to the study of cluster ion photofragmentation. Using this apparatus, kinetic energy measurements were made on neutral photofragments following the excitation of Ar at 532 nm. The results show that one and possibly two argon atoms with high centre of mass kinetic energies emerge from the cluster within a few picoseconds of the photon being absorbed.