Production and characterization of metallofullerene superatoms

Lanthanum metallofullerenes, with the La atoms presumably located inside the carbon cages, were produced using the laser vaporization method with optimum parameters, and concentrated using vacuum sublimation. The obtained material was analyzed using Fourier transform mass spectrometry. The electron affinities of LaCn (n = 60, 70 - 84) were determined, using the charge-transfer bracketing technique, to be in a range between 2.7 ± 0.2 and 3.3 ± 0.3 eV. The ionization potentials of these metallofullerenes were measured to be less than 6.2 eV