Stabilized jellium model and structural relaxation effects on the fragmentation energies of ionized silver clusters

Abstract

Using the stabilized jellium model (SJM) in two schemes of "relaxed" and "rigid", we calculate the dissociation energies and the fission-barrier heights for the binary fragmentations of singly-ionized and doubly-ionized Ag clusters. In the calculations, we assume spherical geometries for the clusters. Comparison of the fragmentation energies in the two schemes show differences that are significant. This result reveals the advantages of the relaxed SJM over the rigid SJM in dynamical processes such as fragmentation. Comparing the relaxed SJM results and experimental data on fragmentation energies, it is possible to predict the sizes of the clusters just before their fragmentations. PACS Nos.: 36.40.Qv, 36.40.–c, 36.40.Wa