An intense, simple carbon cluster source

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
An intense source of positive, negative, and neutral carbon clusters using excimer laser ablation of polyimide is described. The detection probability for large masses using a standard channel plate configuration is shown to increase exponentially with ion velocity. The large clusters are formed via aggregation of atomic carbon or small carbon molecules. The small ‘‘clusters’’ may be molecular fragments from the polymer which rearrange on leaving the surface to form stable structures.