title: Cs atoms on helium nanodroplets and the immersion of Cs+ into the nanodroplet.
abstract: We report the non-desorption of cesium (Cs) atoms on the surface of helium nanodroplets (He(N)) in their 6(2)P(1/2) ((2)Π(1/2)) state upon photo-excitation as well as the immersion of Cs(+) into the He(N) upon photo-ionization via the 6(2)P(1/2) ((2)Π(1/2)) state. Cesium atoms on the surface of helium nanodroplets are excited with a laser to the 6(2)P states. We compare laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectra with a desorption-sensitive method (Langmuir-Taylor detection) for different excitation energies. Dispersed fluorescence spectra show a broadening of the emission spectrum only when Cs-He(N) is excited with photon energies close to the atomic D(1)-line, which implies an attractive character of the excited state system (Cs∗-He(N)) potential energy curve. The experimental data are compared with a calculation of the potential energy curves of the Cs atom as a function of its distance R from the center of the He(N) in a pseudo-diatomic model. Calculated Franck-Condon factors for emission from the 6(2)P(1/2) ((2)Π(1/2)) to the 6(2)S(1/2) ((2)Σ(1/2)) state help to explain the experimental data. The stability of the Cs∗-He(N) system allows to form Cs(+) snowballs in the He(N), where we use the non-desorbing 6(2)P(1/2) ((2)Π(1/2)) state as a springboard for ionization in a two-step ionization scheme. Subsequent immersion of positively charged Cs ions is observed in time-of-flight mass spectra, where masses up to several thousand amu were monitored. Only ionization via the 6(2)P(1/2) ((2)Π(1/2)) state gives rise to a very high yield of immersed Cs(+) in contrast to an ionization scheme via the 6(2)P(3/2) ((2)Π(3/2)) state. When resonant two-photon ionization is applied to cesium dimers on He droplets, Cs(2) (+)-He(N) aggregates are observed in time-of-flight mass spectra.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Physics, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 16, A-8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Moritz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Theisen
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lackner
authors.forename: Wolfgang E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Ernst
mesh_terms: D002586:Cesium / Q000737:chemistry*; D006371:Helium / Q000737:chemistry*; D007477:Ions / Q000737:chemistry; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D007477:Ions; D002586:Cesium; D006371:Helium