Issue 15, 2020

Time-resolved formation of excited atomic and molecular states in XUV-induced nanoplasmas in ammonia clusters

Abstract

High intensity XUV radiation from a free-electron laser (FEL) was used to create a nanoplasma inside ammonia clusters with the intent of studying the resulting electron–ion interactions and their interplay with plasma evolution. In a plasma-like state, electrons with kinetic energy lower than the local collective Coulomb potential of the positive ionic core are trapped in the cluster and take part in secondary processes (e.g. electron-impact excitation/ionization and electron–ion recombination) which lead to subsequent excited and neutral molecular fragmentation. Using a time-delayed UV laser, the dynamics of the excited atomic and molecular states are probed from −0.1 ps to 18 ps. We identify three different phases of molecular fragmentation that are clearly distinguished by the effect of the probe laser on the ionic and electronic yield. We propose a simple model to rationalize our data and further identify two separate channels leading to the formation of excited hydrogen.

Graphical abstract: Time-resolved formation of excited atomic and molecular states in XUV-induced nanoplasmas in ammonia clusters

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
06 feb. 2020
Accepted
25 mar. 2020
First published
26 mar. 2020

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2020,22, 7828-7834

Time-resolved formation of excited atomic and molecular states in XUV-induced nanoplasmas in ammonia clusters

R. Michiels, A. C. LaForge, M. Bohlen, C. Callegari, A. Clark, A. von Conta, M. Coreno, M. Di Fraia, M. Drabbels, P. Finetti, M. Huppert, V. Oliver, O. Plekan, K. C. Prince, S. Stranges, V. Svoboda, H. J. Wörner and F. Stienkemeier, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2020, 22, 7828 DOI: 10.1039/D0CP00669F

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements