Electron and ion spectroscopy of camphor doped helium nanodroplets in the extreme UV and soft x-ray regime

Abstract

We investigate the ionisation and fragmentation dynamics of free camphor molecules and camphor-doped helium nanodroplets by extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and soft x-ray photons using velocity map imaging combined with photoelectron–photoion coincidence (VMI-PEPICO) spectroscopy. We notably find that the Penning ionisation of camphor in He nanodroplets at hν= 21.43 eV is soft with nearly identical Penning ionised electron spectra correlated to different molecular fragments. Further, fragmentation following ionisation at all photon energies exhibit a droplet-specific mass peak equivalent to the missing mass of CO, suggesting suppression of further fragmentation inside the droplet. This work reveals unusual features of photoionisation of organic molecules doped in He nanodroplet motivating further experimental and theoretical explorations.