Photodesorption of O2 from Ag2 -: A time-resolved study of Ag2O2

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Vol. 87; no. 4; pp. 615 - 619
• Main Authors: Niemietz, M., Engelke, M., Kim, Y.D., Ganteför, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer Nature B.V 01-06-2007
• Subjects: Anions; Applied physics; Chemical bonds; Excitation; Excitation spectra; Materials science; Photoelectrons; Photons; Spectrum analysis
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-007-3937-5

We present time-resolved photoelectron spectra of mass-selected Ag2O2 anions. The anions are photoexcited by photons with an energy of 3.1 eV, and photoelectron spectra of the excited species Ag2O2-* and the subsequently appearing fragments are recorded using a probe laser pulse with a photon energy of 1.5 eV. The excited state of Ag2O2- has a short lifetime of 130 fs±70 fs only and decays by direct photodesorption of O2. The data demonstrate the ability of time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (TR-PES) to observe the breaking of chemical bonds if the decay process of the excited state is direct (non-thermal desorption). The data are compared to recent results of a NeNePo experiment [1] on the same system.