Photoelectron spectroscopy of neutral mercury clustersHgx(x≤109) in a molecular beam

Vacuum ultraviolet photoelectron spectra are reported for mercury clusters with up to 109 atoms. These spectra yield quantitative information about the evolution of ionization potentials and bandwidths. Further results about partial photoionization cross sections are obtained by varying the photon energy. The photon energy dependence provides direct experimental evidence that large mercury clusters ${\mathrm{Hg}}_{\mathit{x}}$ (x≥60) possess already a high density of p states near ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{F}}$.