dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaSpectroscopy of free radicals and radical containing entrance-channel complexes in superfluid helium nano-droplets
| Authors | Jochen Küpper, Jeremy M. Merritt |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0609052 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0609052 |
| DOI | 10.1080/01442350601087664 |
| Journal | Int. Rev. Phys. Chem. 26, 249-288 (2007) |
Abstract
The spectroscopy of free radicals and radical containing entrance-channel complexes embedded in superfluid helium nano-droplets is reviewed. The collection of dopants inside individual droplets in the beam represents a micro-canonical ensemble, and as such each droplet may be considered an isolated cryo-reactor. The unique properties of the droplets, namely their low temperature (0.4 K) and fast cooling rates ($\sim10^{16}$ K s$^{-1}$) provides novel opportunities for the formation and high-resolution studies of molecular complexes containing one or more free radicals. The production methods of radicals are discussed in light of their applicability for embedding the radicals in helium droplets. The spectroscopic studies performed to date on molecular radicals and on entrance / exit-channel complexes of radicals with stable molecules are detailed. The observed complexes provide new information on the potential energy surfaces of several fundamental chemical reactions and on the intermolecular interactions present in open-shell systems. Prospects of further experiments of radicals embedded in helium droplets are discussed, especially the possibilities to prepare and study high-energy structures and their controlled manipulation, as well as the possibility of fundamental physics experiments.
{
"annotation_id": "02996e92-88da-45df-80ca-5e328d110555",
"date_created": "2026-03-02T18:01:11.455000Z",
"date_modified": "2026-03-02T18:01:11.455000Z",
"file_hash": "40d54560666e782ef87c220a6c6d3a5038af21943fd19c729cc3d670c30239bd",
"private": false,
"record": {
"abstract": "The spectroscopy of free radicals and radical containing entrance-channel\ncomplexes embedded in superfluid helium nano-droplets is reviewed. The\ncollection of dopants inside individual droplets in the beam represents a\nmicro-canonical ensemble, and as such each droplet may be considered an\nisolated cryo-reactor. The unique properties of the droplets, namely their low\ntemperature (0.4 K) and fast cooling rates ($\\sim10^{16}$ K s$^{-1}$) provides\nnovel opportunities for the formation and high-resolution studies of molecular\ncomplexes containing one or more free radicals. The production methods of\nradicals are discussed in light of their applicability for embedding the\nradicals in helium droplets. The spectroscopic studies performed to date on\nmolecular radicals and on entrance / exit-channel complexes of radicals with\nstable molecules are detailed. The observed complexes provide new information\non the potential energy surfaces of several fundamental chemical reactions and\non the intermolecular interactions present in open-shell systems. Prospects of\nfurther experiments of radicals embedded in helium droplets are discussed,\nespecially the possibilities to prepare and study high-energy structures and\ntheir controlled manipulation, as well as the possibility of fundamental\nphysics experiments.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0609052",
"authors": [
"Jochen K\u00fcpper",
"Jeremy M. Merritt"
],
"categories": [
"physics.atm-clus",
"physics.atom-ph",
"physics.chem-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1080/01442350601087664",
"journal_ref": "Int. Rev. Phys. Chem. 26, 249-288 (2007)",
"title": "Spectroscopy of free radicals and radical containing entrance-channel complexes in superfluid helium nano-droplets",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0609052"
},
"schema_id": "dorsal/arxiv",
"source": {
"execution_id": "1103611c-29c3-4304-bdd6-8062a87b044a",
"id": "arXiv Dataset IDs",
"type": "Model",
"variant": "snapshot-2026-03-01",
"version": "0.1.0"
},
"user_id": 1000002
}