title: UV-visible absorption of small gold clusters in neon: Au(n) (n = 1-5 and 7-9).
abstract: We present optical absorption spectra in the UV-visible range (1.5 eV < E < 6 eV) for mass selected neutral gold clusters Au(n) (n = 1-5 and 7-9) embedded in solid Ne at 7 K. The experimental spectra are compared with time-dependent density functional calculations. Electronic transitions are distributed over the whole energy range without any concentration of the oscillator strength in a small energy window, characteristic for the more s-like metals such as the alkalis or silver. Contrary to the case of silver and partly copper clusters, transitions issued from mainly d-type states are significantly involved in low energy transitions. The measured integrated cross section is smaller (<20%) than expected from a free-electron system, manifesting the strong screening of the s electrons due to the proximity of the s and d levels in gold.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Physique de la Matiére Condensèe, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lecoultre
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rydlo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Félix
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buttet
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gilb
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Harbich
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009356:Neon / Q000737:chemistry*; D011789:Quantum Theory; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D009356:Neon; D006046:Gold