Issue 13, 2021

Metal clusters synthesized in helium droplets: structure and dynamics from experiment and theory

Abstract

Metal clusters have drawn continuous interest because of their high potential for the assembly of matter with special properties that may significantly differ from the corresponding bulk. Controlled combination of particular elements in one nanoparticle can increase the options for the creation of new materials for photonic, catalytic, or electronic applications. Superfluid helium droplets provide confinement and ultralow temperature, i.e. an ideal environment for the atom-by-atom aggregation of a new nanoparticle. This perspective presents a review of the current research progress on the synthesis of tailored metal and metal oxide clusters including core–shell designs, their characterization within the helium droplet beam, deposition on various solid substrates, and analysis via surface diagnostics. Special attention is given to the thermal properties of mixed metal clusters and questions about alloy formation on the nanoscale. Experimental results are accompanied by theoretical approaches employing computational chemistry, molecular dynamics simulations and He density functional theory.

Graphical abstract: Metal clusters synthesized in helium droplets: structure and dynamics from experiment and theory

Article information

Article type
Perspective
Submitted
17 अगस्त 2020
Accepted
29 सितम्बर 2020
First published
29 सितम्बर 2020
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2021,23, 7553-7574

Metal clusters synthesized in helium droplets: structure and dynamics from experiment and theory

W. E. Ernst and A. W. Hauser, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2021, 23, 7553 DOI: 10.1039/D0CP04349D

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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