Interatomic Coulombic Decay of clusters upon electron impact

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Stephan Denifl
• Subject Area: Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Liquids and Interfaces, Biophysical Chemistry
• Term: from 2012 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 203306641

Interatomic Coulombic Decay (ICD) was discovered to be an important phenomenon in the interaction of photons or energetic alpha-particles with clusters. ICD represents in clusters a relaxation mechanism of a single electronic vacancy. Electronic energy may subsequently be transferred into kinetic energy of positive ions and an electron in the continuum. While a plethora of experimental studies using photo-ionization has been carried out in the meantime, no systematic investigations on electron induced ICD exist. We will investigate here if ICD is induced in clusters via inner (valence) shell excitation or ionization by electron impact. Another process studied in this project will be Interatomic Coulombic Electron Capture (ICEC). In this reaction the excess energy deposited in an atom of a cluster by electron capture is released by removal of an electron from a neighbour in the cluster. While detailed theory on this process exists, the experimental verification is eagerly awaited. Moreover, we will study energy harvesting reactions in doped helium droplets which lead to sequential ionization of dopants. The present studies will have strong implications in electron collision physics since new fundamental pathways of electron induced reactions in matter will be elucidated.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 1789: Intermolecular and Interatomic Coulombic Decay
• International Connection: Austria