Alkali-halide cluster ions produced by laser vaporization of solids

The mass spectra of alkali-halide cluster ions M(MX${)}_{\mathit{n}}^{+}$ and X(MX${)}_{\mathit{n}}^{\mathrm{-}}$, produced by laser vaporization of a solid sample, were measured by tilted-plate time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The measured abundances of sodium chloride clusters (n=1–200), sodium iodide clusters (n=1–125), cesium chloride clusters (n=1–125), and cesium iodide clusters (n=1–100) confirm that surface terraces are the most stable additions to a cuboid base lattice. Also, the spectra show that the relative stabilities of certain cluster ions are dependent on the ionic radii of the constituent atoms.