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arXiv · 1707.03312

Production of carbon clusters $\text{C}_3$ to $\text{C}_{12}$ with a cryogenic buffer-gas beam source

Cameron J. E. Straatsma·Maya I. Fabrikant·Gary E. Douberly·Heather J. Lewandowski
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Abstract

Cryogenic buffer-gas beam sources are capable of producing intense beams of a wide variety of molecules, and have a number of advantages over traditional supersonic expansion sources. In this work, we report on a neon matrix isolation study of carbon clusters produced with a cryogenic buffer-gas beam source. Carbon clusters created by laser ablation of graphite are trapped in a neon matrix and detected with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer in the spectral range $4000-1000~\text{cm}^{-1}$. Through a study of carbon cluster production as a function of various system parameters, we characterize the behavior of the buffer-gas beam source and find that approximately $10^{11}-10^{12}$ of each cluster is produced with each pulse of the ablation laser. These measurements demonstrate the usefulness of cryogenic buffer-gas beam sources for producing molecular beams of clusters.

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Cameron J. E. Straatsma, Maya I. Fabrikant, Gary E. Douberly, Heather J. Lewandowski. 2017-07-11. Production of carbon clusters $\text{C}_3$ to $\text{C}_{12}$ with a cryogenic buffer-gas beam source. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4995237

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