Characterization of neutral boron-silicon clusters using infrared spectroscopy: The case of Si6B

Abstract

Nano-size clusters are of great interest for understanding of fundamental properties and processes relevant for applied materials science such as heterogeneous catalysis. In this study, we present a newly developed dualtarget dual-laser ablation source, suitable for the production of binary clusters and their spectroscopic characterization. With the current design, an almost arbitrary mixing ratio can be achieved by altering different parameters such as the laser fluences. Boron and silicon targets are chosen for cluster production, illustrating the possibility to control the outcome ranging from pure boron over mixed SinBm to pure silicon clusters. As a test system, Si6B clusters are characterized by means of infrared-ultraviolet two-color ionization (IR-UV2CI) spectroscopy, combined with quantum chemical simulations. The most stable structure of Si6B (Cs, 2 A') predicted in our previous work is confirmed by the present experiment. Doping of Si7 with a single B atom has a drastic impact on the geometric, vibrational, and electronic properties.

Competitive Molecular and Dissociative Hydrogen Chemisorption on Size Selected Doubly Rhodium Doped Aluminum Clusters

“…Bimetallic rhodium-aluminum clusters are produced in a dual laser ablation source described in more detail elsewhere [27]. In short, the second harmonic (λ = 532 nm) light of two Nd:YAG lasers is focused onto two slowly rotating metal rods, thereby evaporating the material and creating a hot plasma.…”

Hydrogen Chemisorption on Singly Vanadium‐Doped Aluminum Clusters

“…The bimetallic vanadium–aluminum clusters were produced in a dual laser ablation (Nd:YAG, 10 Hz, ≈10–20 mJ per pulse) source setup which has been described in detail elsewhere . Hydrogen was injected into the source by a separate valve.…”

Effects of Charge Transfer on the Adsorption of CO on Small Molybdenum‐Doped Platinum Clusters

“…[32,33] A detailed description of the cluster source is available in Ref. [34] and its operation principle is similar to the source used for the CO reactivity measurements. The main difference is that for the IR spectroscopy experiments the CO gas is inserted via a pulsed valve into a reaction channel that is directly connected to the cluster source.…”