Deexcitation dynamics of superhydrogenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon cations after soft-x-ray absorption

G. Reitsma, Leon Boschman, M. J. Deuzeman, O. González-Magaña, S. Hoekstra, S. Cazaux, R. Hoekstra, Thomas Schlathölter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

43 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We have investigated the response of superhydrogenated gas-phase coronene cations upon soft x-ray absorption. Carbon (1s) transitions were resonantly excited at hν=285eV. The resulting core hole is then filled in an Auger decay process, with the excess energy being released in the form of an Auger electron. Predominantly highly excited dications are thus formed, which cool down by hydrogen emission. In superhydrogenated systems, the additional H atoms act as a buffer, quenching loss of native H atoms and molecular fragmentation. Dissociation and transition state energies for several H loss channels were computed by means of density functional theory. Using these energies as input into an Arrhenius-type cascade model, very good agreement with the experimental data is found. The results have important implications for the survival of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in the interstellar medium and reflect key aspects of graphene hydrogenation.

Original languageEnglish
Article number053002
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume113
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2014
Externally publishedYes

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