Abstract We present state-selective measurements on the N H 2 + + H + and NH + + H + + H dissociation channels following single-photon double ionization at 61.5 eV of neutral NH 3 , where the two photoelectrons and two cations are measured in coincidence using 3D momentum imaging. Three dication electronic states are identified to contribute to the N H 2 + + H + dissociation channel, where the excitation in one of the three states undergoes intersystem crossing prior to dissociation, producing a cold N H 2 + fragment. In contrast, the other two states directly dissociate, producing a ro-vibrationally excited N H 2 + fragment with roughly 1 eV of internal energy. The NH + + H + + H channel is fed by direct dissociation from three intermediate dication states, one of which is shared with the N H 2 + + H + channel. We find evidence of autoionization contributing to each of the double ionization channels. The distributions of the relative emission angle between the two photoelectrons, as well as the relative angle between the recoil axis of the molecular breakup and the polarization vector of the ionizing field, are also presented to provide insight on both the photoionization and photodissociation mechanisms for the different dication states.
more »
« less
Exciton energy transfer reveals spectral signatures of excited states in clusters
Electronic excitation and concomitant energy transfer leading to Penning ionization in argon–acetylene clusters generated in a supersonic expansion are investigated with synchrotron-based photoionization mass spectrometry and electronic structure calculations. Spectral features in the photoionization efficiency of the mixed argon–acetylene clusters reveal a blue shift from the 2 P 1/2 and 2 P 3/2 excited states of atomic argon. Analysis of this feature suggests that excited states of argon clusters transfer energy to acetylene, resulting in its ionization and successive evaporation of argon. Theoretically calculated Ar n ( n = 2–6) cluster spectra are in excellent agreement with experimental observations, and provide insight into the structure and ionization dynamics of the clusters. A comparison between argon–acetylene and argon–water clusters reveals that argon solvates water better, allowing for higher-order excitons and Rydberg states to be populated. These results are explained by theoretical calculations of respective binding energies and structures.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 1856490
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10191132
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics
- Volume:
- 22
- Issue:
- 25
- ISSN:
- 1463-9076
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 14284 to 14292
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
The B-spline R-matrix method is used to investigate the photoionization of neutral iron from the ground and excited states in the energy region from the ionization thresholds to 2 Ry. The multiconfiguration Hartree-Fock method in connection with adjustable configuration expansions and term-dependent orbitals is employed for an accurate representation of the initial states of Fe I and the target wave functions of Fe II. The close-coupling expansion contains 261 LS states of Fe II and includes all levels of the 3d^6 4s, 3d^5 4s^2, 3d^7, 3d^6 4p, and 3d^5 4s4p configurations. Full inclusion of all terms from the principal configurations considerably changes both the lowenergy resonance structure and the energy dependence of the background cross sections. Partial cross sections are analyzed in detail to clarify the most important scattering channels. Comparison with other calculations is used to place uncertainty bounds on our final photoionization cross sections and to assess the likely uncertainties in the existing data sets.more » « less
-
more » « less
Abstract A far‐red absorbing sensitizer, BF2‐chelated azadipyrromethane (azaBODIPY) has been employed as an electron acceptor to synthesize a series of push‐pull systems linked with different nitrogenous electron donors, viz.,
N,N ‐dimethylaniline (NND), triphenylamine (TPA), and phenothiazine (PTZ) via an acetylene linker. The structural integrity of the newly synthesized push‐pull systems was established by spectroscopic, electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical, and DFT computational methods. Cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry studies revealed different redox states and helped in the estimation of the energies of the charge‐separated states. Further, spectroelectrochemical studies performed in a thin‐layer optical cell revealed diagnostic peaks of azaBODIPY⋅−in the visible and near‐IR regions. Free‐energy calculations revealed the charge separation from one of the covalently linked donors to the1azaBODIPY* to yield Donor⋅+‐azaBODIPY⋅−to be energetically favorable in a polar solvent, benzonitrile, and the frontier orbitals generated on the optimized structures helped in assessing such a conclusion. Consequently, the steady‐state emission studies revealed quenching of the azaBODIPY fluorescence in all of the investigated push‐pull systems in benzonitrile and to a lesser extent in mildly polar dichlorobenzene, and nonpolar toluene. The femtosecond pump‐probe studies revealed the occurrence of excited charge transfer (CT) in nonpolar toluene while a complete charge separation (CS) for all three push‐pull systems in polar benzonitrile. The CT/CS products populated the low‐lying3azaBODIPY* prior to returning to the ground state. Global target (GloTarAn) analysis of the transient data revealed the lifetime of the final charge‐separated states (CSS) to be 195 ps for NND‐derived, 50 ps for TPA‐derived, and 85 ps for PTZ‐derived push‐pull systems in benzonitrile. -
more » « less
Abstract Ices of acetylene (C2H2) and ammonia (NH3) were irradiated with energetic electrons to simulate interstellar ices processed by galactic cosmic rays in order to investigate the formation of C2H3N isomers. Supported by quantum chemical calculations, experiments detected product molecules as they sublime from the ices using photoionization reflectron time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (PI‐ReTOF‐MS). Isotopically‐labeled ices confirmed the C2H3N assignments while photon energies of 8.81 eV, 9.80 eV, and 10.49 eV were utilized to discriminate isomers based on their known ionization energies. Results indicate the formation of ethynamine (HCCNH2) and 2H‐azirine (c‐H2CCHN) in the irradiated C2H2:NH3ices, and the energetics of their formation mechanisms are discussed. These findings suggest that these two isomers can form in interstellar ices and, upon sublimation during the hot core phase, could be detected using radio astronomy.
-
Electron transfer (ET) in donor–bridge–acceptor (DBA) compounds depends strongly on the structural and electronic properties of the bridge. Among the bridges that support donor–acceptor conjugation, alkyne bridges have attractive and unique properties: they are compact, possess linear structure permitting access to high symmetry DBA molecules, and allow torsional motion of D and A, especially for longer bridges. We report conformation dependent electron transfer dynamics in a set of novel DBA compounds featuring butadiyne (C4) bridge, N -isopropyl-1,8-napthalimide (NAP) acceptors, and donors that span a range of reduction potentials (trimethyl silane (Si-C4-NAP), phenyl (Ph-C4-NAP), and dimethyl aniline (D-C4-NAP)). Transient mid-IR absorption spectra of the CC bridge stretching modes, transient spectra in the visible range, and TD-DFT calculations were used to decipher the ET mechanisms. We found that the electronic excited state energies and, especially, the transition dipoles (S 0 → S n ) depend strongly on the dihedral angle ( θ ) between D and A and the frontier orbital symmetry, offering an opportunity to photo-select particular excited states with specific ranges of dihedral angles by exciting at chosen wavelengths. For example, excitation of D-C4-NAP at 400 nm predominantly prepares an S 1 excited state in the planar conformations ( θ ∼ 0) but selects an S 2 state with θ ∼ 90°, indicating the dominant role of the molecular symmetry in the photophysics. Moreover, the symmetry of the frontier orbitals of such DBA compounds not only defines the photo-selection outcome, but also determines the rate of the S 2 → S 1 charge separation reaction. Unprecedented variation of the S 2 –S 1 electronic coupling with θ by over four orders of magnitude results in slow ET at θ ca. 0° and 90° but extremely fast ET at θ of 20–60°. The unique features of high-symmetry alkyne bridged DBA structures enable frequency dependent ET rate selection and make this family of compounds promising targets for the vibrational excitation control of ET kinetics.more » « less
- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
-
Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1039/D0CP02042G
