Fourier-transform mass spectroscopic studies of atomic and molecular ions produced by laser vaporization of metals.

A Fourier transform mass spectrometer (FTMS) has been used to trap and detect cluster ions formed by laser vaporization of metals and semiconductors. It is shown that the technique works for those elements whose equilibrium vapors tend to contain molecular species. For more "typical" metals whose vapors are usually monatomic including most transition metals, only monatomic ions are obtained. Cluster ions were observed for silicon, germanium, and bismuth. No cluster ions were observed for aluminum, scandium, vanadium, or niobium.