Chemical Physics Letters, Vol.339, No.5-6, 337-342, 2001
Observation of resonant two-photon photodetachment of water cluster anions via femtosecond photoelectron spectroscopy
Photoexcitation of the (H2O)(n)(-) (n = 20-100) clusters with 100 fs pulses at 800 nm results in an increasing propensity for two-photon electron photoejection with increasing cluster si:le. This increase correlates with the size range (n approximate to 30) where the first excited electronic state drops below the electron continuum, and the electronic absorption band approaches the energy of the 800 nm pump photon. No above-threshold, two-photon detachment is observed for n = 20. Differences in the shape of the resonant two-photon photoelectron spectrum compared to that arising from direct (high energy) photodetachment are interpreted in terms of the vibrational state selection created in the resonant step.