Photodetachment in cold ion traps

Abstract

Abstract We present a computational investigation of the photodetachment (PD) dynamics of C2H− in its ground, electronic 1Σ state, cooled in an ion trap with He as a buffer gas. Our analysis employs a range of PD rates from quantum dynamics, selective choices of the anion’s initial rotational state populations as the laser is switched on, and different operational trap conditions. Our results show that a variety of outcomes for the initial state-dependent PD process is possible by selecting different initial conditions in the cold trap, the latter generating a dynamical interplay between the anion’s populations of rotational states, induced by the buffer gas, and the chosen laser frequency and laser power. Specific parameter selections during the PD process will be shown to cause different abundances of the rotational states of the anion in the trap. Graphical abstract