Hydrogenated carbon clusters produced by highly charged ion impact on solid

The emission of small (hydrogenated) carbon cluster ions CnHm + (n=2-22) upon highly charged Xeq+ (q=20-44) impact on C84 surfaces is studied by means of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. The respective stage of hydrogenation/protonation of a certain carbon cluster ion Cn + is a strong indication for its geometrical structure. From the cluster ion yield as a function of cluster size it can be concluded, that the hydrogenation takes place after the initial carbon cluster formation. The carbon clusters seem to be emitted as an entity in agreement with “equilibrium” and “shock wave” models.