| Abstract: | Transition metal-sulfur binary cluster ions were produced by direct laser ablation and analyzed with the first stage time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS). It was found that the distribution of the strong peaks of the stable cluster ions in the TOF-MS were not appreciably affected by the composition of the sample. The composition of the most stable metal-sulfur cluster ions, MnSm are different for various transition metals: Cu, n = 2m + I and n = 2m; Zn, m = n; Mn, m = n; Fe, m = n, m = n ?1 and m = n ? 2; Co, m = n ? 1, m = n ? 2, m = n ? 3, m = n ? 4 and m = n ? 5; Cr, m = n and m = n + 1; Ta, m = n + 1 and m = n + 2. Cluster ions can be selected by a mass gate, and photolyzed by an excimer laser. The photodissociation product ions were analyzed with the second stage TOF-MS. These product ions were mainly the more stable cluster ions as those given in the first stage TOF-MS. |
