Determination of carbon cluster ionization potentials via charge transfer reactions

Abstract

Ionization potentials (IPs) for carbon clusters containing 6–24 atoms have been determined from charge transfer reactions of carbon cluster ions with compounds of known ionization potential in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. Cluster IPs generally decrease with increasing cluster size, but the IPs for clusters containing 4n+3 atoms (n=1–5) are found to be ∼0.5 eV lower than those of neighboring clusters. The relationship between cluster IP and structure is discussed.