Ultrafast dynamics of low-energy electron attachment via a non-valence correlation-bound state

Rogers, Joshua P.; Anstöter, Cate S.; Verlet, Jan R.R.

Abstract

The primary electron-attachment process in electron-driven chemistry represents one of the most fundamental chemical transformations with wide-ranging importance in science and technology. However, the mechanistic detail of the seemingly simple reaction of an electron and a neutral molecule to form an anion remains poorly understood, particularly at very low electron energies. Here, time-resolved photoelectron imaging was used to probe the electron-attachment process to a non-polar molecule using time-resolved methods. An initially populated diffuse non-valence state of the anion that is bound by correlation forces evolves coherently in ∼30 fs into a valence state of the anion. The extreme efficiency with which the correlation-bound state serves as a doorway state for low-energy electron attachment explains a number of electron-driven processes, such as anion formation in the interstellar medium and electron attachment to fullerenes.

Citation

Rogers, J. P., Anstöter, C. S., & Verlet, J. R. (2018). Ultrafast dynamics of low-energy electron attachment via a non-valence correlation-bound state. Nature Chemistry, 10, 341-346. https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2912

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 15, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Jan 8, 2018
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jan 12, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 8, 2018
• Journal: Nature Chemistry
• Print ISSN: 1755-4330
• Electronic ISSN: 1755-4349
• Publisher: Nature Research
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 10
• Pages: 341-346
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2912
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1341046