Novel silicon-carbon fullerene-like cages

We present model calculations of kinetic energy releases and fission barriers in asymmetric fission of C₆₀^{r +} ions, using a simple electrostatic model where the fragments are treated as conducting spheres. The kinetic energy releases are calculated using two different approaches for deducing the radii of the spheres. Both approaches give results in qualitative agreement with experimental results. The fission barriers, on the other hand, depend strongly on the model radii and the activation energies for neutral fragment emission. A comparison between the model calculations shows that the choice of the finite size of the smaller fragments become important as r increases and have large influences on the prediction for the C₆₀^{r +} stability limit. The competition between neutral (evaporation) and charged-fragment emission (fission) are discussed within a static over-the-barrier model for electron transfer between conducting spheres.Received: 10 December 2003, Published online: 27 January 2004PACS: 34.70. + e Charge transfer - 36.40.Qv Stability and fragmentation of clusters - 36.40.Wa Charged clusters