PNNL

Abstract

We demonstrate vibrational cooling of anions via collisions with a background gas in an ion trap attached to a cryogenically controlled cold head (10 – 400 K). Photoelectron spectra of vibrationally cold C60- anions, produced by electrospray ionization and cooled in the cold ion trap, have been obtained. Relative to spectra taken at room temperature, vibrational hot bands are completely eliminated, yielding well resolved vibrational structures and a more accurate electron affinity for neutral C60. The electron affinity of C60 is measured to be 2.683 ± 0.008 eV. The cold spectra reveal complicated vibrational structures for the transition to the C60 ground state due to the Jahn-Teller effect in the ground state of C60-. Vibrational excitations in the two Ag modes and eight Hg modes are observed, providing ideal data to assess the vibronic couplings in C60-.