The Decay routes of argon clusters studied using time-resolved fluorescence

Gejo, Tatsuo*; Iseda, Mitsuhiro*; Homma, Kenji*; Harries, J.; Tamenori, Yusuke*

When a cluster undergoes inner-shell excitation, as well as electrons and ions fluorescence photons can also be detected. Depending on the excited state, the lifetime of this fluorescence is different, and so recording the arrival times of the photons relative to the exciting radiation, information can be obtained on the excited state distribution. This technique has previously been applied to the helium atom and water molecule, and is applied to clusters for the first time here. For argon clusters there are broadly two lifetime components, and their origin is discussed.