Studies of ions in a drift field: laser diagnostics of excited states and measurements of thermochemical properties at equilibrium

A major technique for investigating the thermochemical properties of ions and their related clusters is the high pressure drift/mass spectrometer detection technique. A crucial question in this regard is the extent to which ions drifting in an electric field are thermalized. This paper is divided into two parts, one describing some laser techniques which are enabling an investigation of the possible presence of excited ions in a drift field, and secondly, a reporting of some recent findings and trends in the stability of ion clusters of single and mixed constituents