Laser ablation synthesis and TOF mass spectrometric identification of tellurium, sulfur and mixed tellurium–sulfur clusters

• Published in: Polyhedron 2003-08, Vol.22 (18), p.2601-2605
• Main Authors: Alberti, Milan, Šedo, Ondrej, Havel, Josef
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Clusters; Laser ablation synthesis; Mass spectrometry; Post-source decay; Sulfur; Tellurium
• ISSN: 0277-5387
• DOI: 10.1016/S0277-5387(03)00353-X

It was found that laser ablation of a mixture of elemental tellurium and sulfur is a possible way for synthesis of heteroatomic clusters. Four new cluster families with the composition TeS n ( n=1–14), Te 2S n ( n=1–10), Te 3S n ( n=1–6) and Te 4S n ( n=1–2) were produced with a negative or positive charge. Simultaneously, the formation of Te n + and Te n − ( n=1–6), S n + ( n=1–11) and S n − ( n=1–15) clusters was observed. Isotopic patterns of the clusters mass spectra were found to be in a good agreement with theoretical models calculated from natural abundance of tellurium and sulfur isotopes. However, in spite of a high resolution achieved (4000), some mixed clusters are difficult to distinguish, because Te m S n cluster ions yield almost the same molecular weights and isotopic patterns as Te m−1 S n+4 ones. Several mixed clusters, TeS m ( m=1–14), Te 2S m ( m=1–10), Te 3S m ( m=1–6) and Te 4S m ( m=1–2), and Te n ( n=1–6) or S m ( m=1–15) clusters were synthesized via laser ablation of elements or tellurium–sulfur mixtures. The stoichiometry was determined using time of flight mass spectrometry. Both, negatively and positively singly charged clusters were observed.