From quantum calculations

The ionization of pure rare gas (Rg) clusters by photon or electron impact causes a great deal of energy to be deposited in this weakly bound, van der Waals (vdW) aggregates. We have focussed our attention on 4Hen+ and Nen+ cluster with a fairly small number of particles as result of the impact ionization of much larger droplets and have considered the nanoscopic processes which are likely to occur in them after the initial electron emission has taken place. Quantum, ab initio calculations of the interaction forces and examination of the most stable configurations when the most probable ionic cores are considered, have been able to tell us what is the most frequent occurrence within such aggregates even when the number of particles is fairly small. Our theoretical treatments and our numerical calculations will be shown to provide a rather detailed descriptions of such ionic cores and of the layering of the solvent atoms around them after their formation. Such results are indicative of a rather fast nucleation process in such systems and of a very limited charged propagation after initial ionic monomer is formed by the impinging projectiles. The most recent results from quantum dynamics will be presenting at the meeting. (author)