Photofragmentation of antimony and bismuth cluster cations at 248 nm.

Antimony and bismuth cluster cations are produced by laser vaporization in a pulsed nozzle source and probed with mass spectroscopy and mass selected photofragmentation at 248 nm. Mass spectral abundances are interpreted to reflect cation stability patterns. Fragmentation products and branching ratios are consistent with the production of stable neutral and cation molecular fragments, suggesting a statistical dissociation mechanism (i.e., unimolecular decay).