Photoelectron studies of neutral Ag3 in helium droplets.

Photoelectron spectra of neutral silver trimers, grown in ultracold helium nanodroplets, are recorded after ionization with laser pulses via a strong optical resonance of this species. Varying the photon energy reveals that direct vertical two-photon ionization is hindered by a rapid relaxation into the lower edge of a long-living excited state manifold. An analysis of the ionization threshold of the embedded trimer yields an ionization potential of 5.74+/-0.09 eV consistent with the value found in the gas phase. The asymmetrical form of the electron energy spectrum, which is broadened toward lower kinetic energies, is attributed to the influence of the matrix on the photoionization process. The lifetime of the excited state was measured in a two-color pump-probe experiment to be 5.7+/-0.6 ns.

Excited-state relaxation of Ag8 clusters embedded in helium droplets.

Neutral silver clusters Ag(N) are grown in ultracold helium nanodroplets. By exploiting a strong absorption resonance recently found for Ag8, first photoelectron spectra of this neutral species are recorded. Variation of the laser photon energy reveals that direct vertical two-photon ionization is hindered by rapid relaxation into the lower edge of a long-living excited state manifold. The analysis of the dynamics gives a precise value of (6.89+/-0.09) eV for the vertical ionization potential of Ag8. The influence of the helium matrix on photoemission is discussed.