Vibrational Spectra of Hydrogenated Buckminsterfullerene: A Candidate for the Unidentified Infrared Emission

Abstract

A mixture of hydrides of buckminsterfullerene made by the interaction of atomic hydrogen with C60is investigated using high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) in ultrahigh vacuum. The energy-loss spectra of partially hydrogenated C60multilayers reveal vibrational features previously observed in infrared emission from interstellar and circumstellar dust clouds, including a broad loss envelope between 1150 and 1310 cm-1, followed by a band at 1620 cm-1in remarkable agreement with the canonical interstellar spacing of 300 cm-1. Additionally, a major C-H stretching band near 2900 cm-1is observed and compared with the Galactic center absorption spectrum.