title: Excited-state relaxation of Ag8 clusters embedded in helium droplets.
abstract: Neutral silver clusters Ag(N) are grown in ultracold helium nanodroplets. By exploiting a strong absorption resonance recently found for Ag8, first photoelectron spectra of this neutral species are recorded. Variation of the laser photon energy reveals that direct vertical two-photon ionization is hindered by rapid relaxation into the lower edge of a long-living excited state manifold. The analysis of the dynamics gives a precise value of (6.89+/-0.09) eV for the vertical ionization potential of Ag8. The influence of the helium matrix on photoemission is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Physik, Universität Rostock, 18051 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Radcliffe
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Przystawik
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Diederich
authors.forename: Tilo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Döppner
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tiggesbäumker
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Meiwes-Broer