Ionization and fragmentation of endohedral fullerenes Ho$_{3}$N@C$_{80}$ in an intense femtosecond laser field

ORAL

Abstract

Gas phase endohedral fullerenes Ho$_{3}$N@C$_{80}$ have been studied by excitation with intense femtosecond laser pulses at 800nm. Multiple charge states were found after the laser excitation. The highest charge state of the mother molecules was found to be Ho$_{3}$N@C$_{80}^{4+}$. The molecules absorb multiple photons during the excitation, and may release extra energy by evaporating multiple C$_{2}$ dimers from the carbon cage. Ho$_{3}$N@C$_{70}^{\mathrm{n+}}$ and Ho$_{3}$N@C$_{50}^{\mathrm{n+}}$ were found to be more stable than other fullerene productions. The molecules may also fragment into Ho$^{+}$, HoC$_{2}^{+}$ and HoCN$^{+}$ fragments. The yields of different fragments dependence on laser intensity will be compared to understand the fragmentation pathways.

*This work is funded by the Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences and Biosciences under grant N. DE-FG02-92ER14299.A002

Authors

  • Hui Xiong

    • Univ of Connecticut - Storrs
  • Li Fang

    • University of Texas at Austin
  • Timur Osipov

    • LCLS, SLAC Linac Coherent Light Source
  • Emily Sistrunk

    • PULSE, SLAC Linac Coherent Light Source
  • Thomas Wolf

    • PULSE, SLAC Linac Coherent Light Source
  • Markus Guehr

    • PULSE, SLAC Linac Coherent Light Source
  • Nora Berrah

    • Univ of Connecticut - Storrs