Studies of the structures and fragmentation patterns of Arn.Hg+ and Arn-Ba+ cluster ions

The study of metal ions trapped in clusters of simple systems, such as argon, provides the opportunity for monitoring the influence ion-atom interactions have on the development of cluster structure and the spectroscopy of a 'matrix-isolated' metal atom. The presence of a metal ion core provides a convenient charged unit around which rare gas atoms can pack to form close-packed structures and, as these structures evolve through various stages of irregularity and regularity, so the electronic spectrum of the metal atom should change accordingly. We intend to report the results of some preliminary experiments where we have begun to develop techniques suitable for attaching single metal atoms to clusters. Initial experiments have concentrated on using fragmentation patterns as a structural probe of the heterogeneous clusters, this study will be followed by a series of experiments on the laser spectroscopy of the solvated metal ion. (author)