On the copper oxide neutral cluster distribution in the gas phase: Detection through 355 nm and 193 nm multiphoton and 118 nm single photon ionization

The distribution of neutral clusters of copper oxide in the gas phase was detected using time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (TOFMS). Multiphoton absorption of 355 nm and 193 nm radiation and single photon absorption of 118 nm radiation were used for the ionization of the neutral copper oxide clusters. It was found that Cu _mO _m form of clusters were the most stable when the number of copper atoms were less than four. It was observed that cluster fragmentation by the 193 nm laser ionization for copper oxide powder was mainly of the Cu _mO _m and Cu _mO _m-1 form.