Vibrationally resolved photoelectron studies of the 7σ−1 channel in N2O

Fluorescence from the A2Σ+state suggests a non-Franck–Condon N2O+•vibrational state population after keV collisional activation with helium

A commercial analytical mass spectrometer coupled with a spectrograph and charge-coupled device (CCD) detector was used to obtain the collision-induced emission (CIE) spectra (190–1020 nm) from ion–molecule collisions between N2O+•and He at laboratory frame collision energies of 4–8 keV. The observed emissions were from the A2Σ+ → X2Π+system of N2O+•, excited fragments of the parent molecule, and the target gas. The relative emission intensities of the N2O+•ions and their fragments were independent of the ion translational energy within the 4–8 keV range, confirming the curve-crossing mechanism for translational-to-internal energy transfer in this system. Band emission intensities of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] relative to the [Formula: see text] band within the N2O+•(A → X) system have been measured and compared with reference data. The results indicated that the collisionally excited ion has a decidedly non-Franck–Condon vibrational state distribution.

Vibrational state dependence of β and D asymmetry parameters: The case of the highest occupied molecular orbital photoelectron spectrum of methyl-oxirane

The beta angular asymmetry and D dichroic asymmetry parameters of the methyl-oxirane highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) band have been experimentally investigated with vibrational resolution using synchrotron radiation. A theoretical calculation of the Franck-Condon factors between vibrational ground state and different ionic vibrational states, in the Born-Oppenheimer harmonic approximation, has been performed in order to gain information on the vibrational states mainly involved in the HOMO photoelectron band. The general good agreement between theoretical and experimental results allows a reliable assignment of the major features. The experimental determination of beta and D shows their dependence on the different final vibrational states. This paper reports, for the first time, experimental evidence of the dependence of the dichroic D parameter on the vibrational excitation of the ion.

Photoelectron trapping in N2O 7sigma-->ksigma resonant ionization

Vibrationally resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of the N2O+(A 2Sigma+) state is used to compare the dependence of the photoelectron dynamics on molecular geometry for two shape resonances in the same ionization channel. Spectra are acquired over the photon energy range of 18< or =hv< or =55 eV. There are three single-channel resonances in this range, two in the 7sigma-->ksigma channel and one in the 7sigma-->kpi channel. Vibrational branching ratio curves are determined by measuring vibrationally resolved photoelectron spectra as a function of photon energy, and theoretical branching ratio curves are generated via Schwinger variational scattering calculations. In the region 30< or =hv< or =40 eV, there are two shape resonances (ksigma and kpi). The ksigma ionization resonance is clearly visible in vibrationally resolved measurements at hv=35 eV, even though the total cross section in this channel is dwarfed by the cross section in the degenerate, more slowly varying 7sigma-->kpi channel. This ksigma resonance is manifested in non-Franck-Condon behavior in the approximately antisymmetric v3 stretching mode, but it is not visible in the branching ratio curve for the approximately symmetric v1 stretch. The behavior of the 35-eV ksigma resonance is compared to a previously studied N2O 7sigma-->ksigma shape resonance at lower energy. The mode sensitivity of the 35-eV ksigma resonance is the opposite of what was observed for the lower-energy resonance. The contrasting mode-specific behavior observed for the high- and low-energy 7sigma-->ksigma resonances can be explained on the basis of the "approximate" symmetry of the quasibound photoelectron resonant wave function, and the contrasting behavior reflects differences in the continuum electron trapping. An examination of the geometry dependence of the photoelectron dipole matrix elements shows that the ksigma resonances have qualitatively different dependences on the individual bond lengths. The low-energy resonance is influenced only by changes in the end-to-end length of the molecule, whereas the higher-energy resonance depends on the individual N-N and N-O bond lengths. Branching ratios are determined for several vibrational levels, including the symmetry-forbidden bending mode, and all of the observed behavior is explained in the context of an independent particle, Born-Oppenheimer framework.

Electronically forbidden (5σu→kσu) photoionization of CS2: Mode-specific electronic-vibrational coupling

Vibrationally resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of the CS(2) (+)(B (2)Sigma(u) (+)) state is used to show how nontotally symmetric vibrations "activate" a forbidden electronic transition in the photoionization continuum, specifically, a 5sigma(u)-->ksigma(u) shape resonance, that would be inaccessible in the absence of a symmetry breaking vibration. This electronic channel is forbidden owing to inversion symmetry selection rules, but it can be accessed when a nonsymmetric vibration is excited, such as bending or antisymmetric stretching. Photoelectron spectra are acquired for photon energies 17</=hnu</=72 eV, and it is observed that the forbidden vibrational transitions are selectively enhanced in the region of a symmetry-forbidden continuum shape resonance centered at hnu approximately 42 eV. Schwinger variational calculations are performed to analyze the data, and the theoretical analysis demonstrates that the observed forbidden transitions are due to photoelectron-mediated vibronic coupling, rather than interchannel Herzberg-Teller mixing. We observe and explain the counterintuitive result that some vibrational branching ratios vary strongly with energy in the region of the resonance, even though the resonance position and width are not appreciably influenced by geometry changes that correspond to the affected vibrations. In addition, we find that another resonant channel, 5sigma(u)-->kpi(g), influences the symmetric stretch branching ratio. All of the observed effects can be understood within the framework of the Chase adiabatic approximation, i.e., the Born-Oppenheimer approximation applied to photoionization.

Intrachannel vibronic coupling in molecular photoionization

We discuss the excitation of forbidden vibrational transitions accompanying photoionization of linear triatomic molecules. Excitation of a single quantum of the antisymmetric stretching vibration is observed for mole cules with inversion symmetry, as is the bending mode. Photoelectron spectra of the N2O+(A2Π), CO2+(C2Σg+), and CS2+(B2Σu+) states obtained over a range of ionization energies exhibit contrasting behavior for the relative intensities of the forbidden vibrations. These energy-dependent vibrational branching ratios are shown to result from an intrachannel vibronic coupling mechanism. Moreover, this intrachannel coupling can be further divided into two cases, one in which the photoionization cross section is sensitive to geometry changes, and a second case in which it is not. These different cases can be distinguished by comparing the experimental and theoretical results for all three molecules.Key words: photoelectron spectroscopy, vibronic coupling, photoionization.PACS Nos.: 33.60.Cv, 33.20.Ni, 33.20.Wr, 33.80.Eh