Observation of shell structures in the growth of microcluster ions

✍ Scribed by Y.K. Bae; P.C. Cosby; D.C. Lorents

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1989
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 610 KB
• Volume: 159
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0009-2614
• DOI: 10.1016/0009-2614(89)87412-3

✦ Synopsis

We have observed shell structure manifested in the size distributions of various non-metallic cluster ions sequentialIy grown on seed positive ions generated by electron impact ionization in a pulsed supersonic jet. The data suggest the identification of the core ion and the placement of equivalent ligands about the core during the embryonic stages of cluster growth. A crown structure similar to that of H: '(HZ)+,, is indicated for H,0*.(H2),, (n<4). Pentagonal bipyramid structures with five neutrals surrounding a dimer ion core are suggested by the (CO): (ng 19) and (N2)n+ (n< 14) cluster size distributions, whereas (CO,):

(n4 16) clusters appear to have a relatively amorphous structure. Variations in the cluster size distributions of Xe,' (n < 26) are correlated with the elongated icosahedral s1ructurc.