Collision induced dissociation of Cun+ clusters (n=2–9) in collision with Xe is presented in the center-of-mass energy range from about 100 meV to above 15 eV. The collision energy dependence is measured for the total and the partial dissociation cross sections, and the dissociation thresholds for the dominating processes are derived. The threshold energies show pronounced odd–even alternations, reflecting a higher stability of the odd-numbered, Cu2n+1+, clusters. Further, the evaporation of a single neutral atom is found to be the energetically favorable process for the even-numbered clusters, while the loss of the neutral dimer is favorable in the case of the odd-numbered clusters. An exception is Cu9+, where the formation of Cun−1+ is energetically favorable, and the energetics of the Cun−2+ formation are in good agreement with sequential evaporation of two neutral monomers. Here we discuss the energy dependency of the total and partial dissociation cross sections, and try to give a consistent picture of the dissociation dynamics. We present binding energies for the cationic clusters from their dissociation thresholds, and use those, in combination with the literature values for the ionization potentials of Cun, to estimate the binding energies for neutral copper clusters. Finally, we compare this work to earlier theoretical calculations, as well as experimental estimations of the binding energies.

Articles you may be interested inEffects of solvation shells and cluster size on the reaction of aluminum clusters with water AIP Advances 1, 042149 (2011); 10.1063/1.3664751Reaction of carbon monoxide and hydrogen on neutral Nb 8 clusters in the gas phase Methane activation by nickel cluster cations, Ni n + (n=2-16): Reaction mechanisms and thermochemistry of cluster-CH x (x=0-3) complexesReactions of small thermalized positively charged nickel clusters with carbon monoxide were studied in a molecular beam experiment. The nickel clusters were produced in a high intensity cluster ion source and thermalized in a large helium-filled quadrupole ion guide. The clusters were size selected by a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The mass-and charge-selected nickel clusters then passed through a linear quadrupole drift tube filled with a mixture of helium buffer gas and carbon monoxide. The reaction products were then analyzed by a quadrupole mass-spectrometer. Using this technique, saturation limits for Ni n ϩ clusters with nϭ4 -31 were measured and the competitive reaction channels were identified. Under certain experimental conditions carbide formation was observed in the case of the nickel tetramer, pentamer, and hexamer. The structure of the nickel carbonyl clusters is discussed within the framework of the polyhedral skeletal electron pair theory. The cluster growth may be explained by a pentagonal sequence of structures for nϭ4 -7, capping of the pentagonal bipyramid to buildup an icosahedron at Ni 13 ϩ , and further capping of this icosahedron to form a double icosahedron at Ni 19 ϩ .

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The copropagation of two waves in an ultralong semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) is considered in theory and experiment. One wave is a modulated signal, whereas the other one is unmodulated (continuous wave). The theory bases on a comprehensive traveling-wave model and predicts an exponential improvement of the signal extinction ratio (ER) of the modulated signal, caused by the presence of the unmodulated signal. Conditions for achieving this two-wave competition (TWC) effect are as follows. The SOA is operated under saturation, both waves are copolarized, they have comparable gain and their spectral correlation is between certain limits. The TWC effect is due to nondegenerate four-wave mixing (FWM) in the saturated part of a long SOA and is expected to have a high-speed potential. In order to check the theoretical predictions, 4-mm-long SOAs are developed and experimentally investigated under the given conditions. The measured ER improves by 1.3 dB for a 5-GHz sinusoidal signal, which compares well with the 2 dB theoretically predicted for this configuration. FWM is identified also experimentally as the basic mechanism. Variation of wavelength detuning, pump current, modulation frequency and ER of the injected signal are used to determine optimum conditions for the given device

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