Interatomic Coulombic Decay in van der Waals Clusters and Impact of Nuclear Motion

Abstract

It is demonstrated that excited van der Waals systems can relax by electron emission via a novel interatomic mechanism. The process is analyzed by means of extensive ab initio calculations of potential energy surfaces and electronic decay rates. The electronic emission, taking place on the same time scale as the motion of the atomic nuclei, is accompanied by interesting dynamical effects amenable to experimental observations. These effects arise as a consequence of the weak chemical bond in van der Waals clusters and the Coulomb repulsion pattern originating from electron emission.