TITLE:

Soft-landed ions: a route to ionic solution studies

AUTHORS:

Tsekouras, A.A.; Iedema, M.J.; Ellison, G.B.; Cowin, J.P.; Environ. Molecular Sci. Lab., Pacific Northwest Nat. Lab., Richland, WA, USA

PUBLICATION:

International Journal of Mass Spectrometry and Ion Processes, vol.174, no.1-3, p. 219-30, March 1998 18 Refs.

ABSTRACT:

Solvated ions in condensed phase can be studied with new directness, using a very low energy (<1 eV) mass-selected ion source, to soft-land' ions on or within surface films. The very low energy allows almost any ion to be studied without impact damage. Results for hydronium ions deposited on water ice are presented, where the lack of hydronium diffusion up to 190 K is evident, and intriguing information on dielectric behavior is measured. Cs⁺ ions moving in n-hexane and 3-methyl pentane are also discussed.