Low energy electron impact resonances of anthracene probed by 2D photoelectron imaging of its radical anion

Mensa-Bonsu, Golda; Lietard, Aude; Tozer, David J.; Verlet, Jan R.R.

Abstract

Electron-molecule resonances of anthracene were probed by 2D photoelectron imaging of the corresponding radical anion up to 3.7 eV in the continuum. A number of resonances were observed in both the photoelectron spectra and angular distributions, and most resonances showed clear autodetachment dynamics. The resonances were assigned using density functional theory calculations and are consistent with the available literature. Competition between direct and autodetachment, as well as signatures of internal conversion between resonances, was observed for some resonances. For the 12B2g resonance, a small fraction of population recovers the ground electronic state as evidenced by thermionic emission. Recovery of the ground electronic state offers a route of producing anions in an electron–molecule reaction; however, the energy at which this occurs suggests that anthracene anions cannot be formed in the interstellar medium by electron capture through this resonance.

Citation

Mensa-Bonsu, G., Lietard, A., Tozer, D. J., & Verlet, J. R. (2020). Low energy electron impact resonances of anthracene probed by 2D photoelectron imaging of its radical anion. The Journal of Chemical Physics, 152(17), Article 174303. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0007470

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 12, 2020
• Online Publication Date: May 4, 2020
• Publication Date: May 7, 2020
• Deposit Date: May 13, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: May 4, 2021
• Journal: The Journal of Chemical Physics
• Print ISSN: 0021-9606
• Electronic ISSN: 1089-7690
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 152
• Issue: 17
• Article Number: 174303
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0007470
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1270746