Study of Cluster Ions by Mass Spectrometry and Optical Spectroscopy

The course of experiments described in this book are focused to provide insight into the production of atomic, molecular and mixed clusters from solid and gas, investigation of difference in the ionization mechanisms of clusters subjected to high intensity laser pulses. Carbon cluster sources based on sputtering and laser ablation are developed to generate a beam of clusters. The formation of carbon clusters in the sooting environment is confirmed using optical emission spectroscopy. Clusters heavier than dimer are detected by a linear time-of-flight (ToF) mass spectrometer. Neutral clusters are generated by a pulsed nozzle source. Clusters are ionized by IR and UV laser pulses of a nanosecond Nd:YAG laser. Xenon clusters, Ethyl alcohol clusters and mixed clusters of Ethyl alcohol, Water vapor and Benzene are generated using pulsed nozzle source. Apart from the development of cluster sources, the difference in the ionization mechanism of Xenon clusters under IR and UV irradiation is studied. The difference in the ionization mechanism provides a tool to study the effect of cluster size on the ionization processes in MultiPhoton Ionizion of Xenon clusters.