Molecular- and atomic-like photoionization of C60 in the extreme ultraviolet

Relative partial cross sections for single, double, and triple photoionization of C60 and C70

Partial cross sections for the photoion formation from C(60) and C(70) were determined from the yields of singly, doubly, and triply charged ions which were measured by mass spectrometry combined with tunable synchrotron radiation at hnu = 25-120 eV. The dependence of the detection efficiencies on the mass-to-charge ratio was evaluated by using the formula proposed by Twerenbold et al. Corrections of the detection efficiency were found to be critical for obtaining accurate partial cross sections for photoionization of fullerenes. Revisions were made of the partial cross-section curves for single and double photoionization of C(60) and C(70). The curve for triple photoionization of C(70) was newly proposed. The ratios between the cross sections for double and single photoionization increase with hnu and reach saturated values of 0.78 at 85 eV for C(60) and approximately 1.3 at 100 eV for C(70). In contrast, the ratios at 120 eV between the cross sections for triple and single photoionization of C(60) and C(70) amount to 0.14 and approximately 0.38, respectively. The formation mechanism of multiply charged fullerene ions was discussed in terms of valence-electron excitation to antibonding unoccupied orbitals and/or spherical standing waves inside the cavity of a fullerene. This excitation could be followed by Spectator Auger processes and transmission of the excess electronic energy among numerous vibrational degrees of freedom.

Double photoionization of C(60) and C(70) in the valence region

Photoion yields from gaseous fullerenes, C(60) and C(70), for production of singly and doubly charged ions are measured by mass spectrometry combined with tunable synchrotron radiation at hnu=25-150 eV. Since the signal of triply or highly charged ions is very weak, the total photoionization yield curve can be estimated from the sum of the yields of the singly and doubly charged ions. A distinct feature appears in the resultant curve of C(60) which is absent in the calculated total photoabsorption cross section previously reported. This difference is attributed to C(60) (2+) ions chiefly produced by spectator Auger ionization of the shape resonance states followed by tunneling of the trapped electron or by cascade Auger ionization. Ratios between the yields of doubly and singly charged ions for C(60) and C(70) are larger than unity at hnu>50 eV. These ratios are quite different from those reported in the experiments using electron impact ionization.

Photoexcitation of a volume plasmon in C60 ions

Neutral C60 is well known to exhibit a giant resonance in its photon absorption spectrum near 20 eV. This is associated with a surface plasmon, where delocalized electrons oscillate as a whole relative to the ionic cage. Absolute photoionization cross-section measurements for C+60, C2+60, and C3+60 ions in the 17-75 eV energy range show an additional resonance near 40 eV. Time-dependent density functional calculations confirm the collective nature of this feature, which is characterized as a dipole-excited volume plasmon made possible by the special fullerene geometry.

4d→4f dipole resonance of the metal atom encapsulated in a fullerene cage: Ce@C82

The yield curves for photoions from Ce@C(82) are measured by using synchrotron radiation in the photon energy range from 90 to 160 eV. Parent Ce@C(82) (z+) and fragment ions C(60) (z+) and C(70) (z+) are observed in a mass spectrum (z=1 and 2). The yield curves for doubly charged ionic species exhibit broad resonance in the photon energy region of from 120 to 140 eV which is ascribed to the 4d-->4f giant dipole resonance of the encapsulated Ce atom. The total photoabsorption cross section of Ce@C(82) was determined from partial photoionization cross sections for formation of the parent and fragment ions to be 5.3(-1.1) (+1.8) and 19.6(-3.9) (+6.5) Mb at photon energies of 110 and 130 eV, respectively.