The role of the d-electrons on the optical excitation spectra of silver metal clusters

We only give a brief overview: A beam of mass selected sputtered AgN+/- clusters is colinearly ir-radiated by pulsed laser light generated by an excimer pumped dye laser (hω=2.0,...,5.0 eV, 50,...,1500 μJ/cm2). A combination of an ion deflector and a retarding field energy analyzer serves to monitor the photo-induced beam depletion. From the resulting depletion signals absolute photo destruction cross sections can be extracted. Due to uncertainties in laser fluence and the not exactly defined overlap between cluster and laser beam the absolute cross sections are true within about 50 %. (author)