Laser Vaporization and Photoionization of Group IV and V Intermetallic Clusters

Abstract

Sn/Bi and Pb/Sb mixed-metal clusters were produced in the gas phase with laser vaporization and studied with laser photoionization mass spectroscopy. Magic nos. are obsd. for certain neutral cluster species which are isoelectronic to stable post transition metal cluster ions studied previously in condensed phases. This correspondence between gas phase and condensed phase clusters has not been obsd. previously, and may have significant implications for the stability and structure of gas phase clusters.