Experimental characterization of SiCH+via single-photon ionization of gas-phase SiCH

Abstract

SiCH and its cation have consistently emerged as predicted species in models of silicon chemistry within the interstellar medium, although they remain unobserved in space. Hindered by their intrinsic instability, no spectroscopic insights have been gleaned concerning the SiCH+ cation. In this study, we present experimental measurements on the SiCH+ cation through single-photon ionization spectroscopy of the SiCH radical within the 8.0–11.0 eV range. Gas-phase SiCH radicals were generated through chemical reactions involving CHx (x = 0–3) and SiHy (y = 0–3) within a microwave discharge flow-tube reactor. Employing a double imaging photoelectron/photoion coincidence spectrometer on the DESIRS beamline at the SOLEIL synchrotron, we recorded mass-selected ion yield and photoelectron spectra. From the analysis of the photoelectron spectrum supported by ab initio calculations and Franck–Condon simulations, the adiabatic ionization energies for the transitions from the X2Π ground electronic state of SiCH toward the X+3Σ− and A+3Π electronic states of SiCH+ have been derived [8.935(6) and 10.664(6) eV, respectively, without spin–orbit correction]. The contribution from the less stable isomer HSiC has been explored in our analysis and ruled out in our experiments.