Photoelectron imaging of PtI2− and its PtI− photodissociation product

Abstract

The photoelectron imaging of PtI2− is presented over photon energies ranging from hν = 3.2 to 4.5 eV. The electron affinity of PtI2 is found to be 3.4 ± 0.1 eV, and the photoelectron spectrum contains three distinct peaks corresponding to three low-lying neutral states. Using a simple d-block model and the measured photoelectron angular distributions, the three states are tentatively assigned. Photodissociation of PtI2− is also observed, leading to the formation of I− and of PtI−. The latter allows us to determine the electron affinity of PtI to be 2.35 ± 0.10 eV. The spectrum of PtI− is similarly structured with three peaks which, again, can be tentatively assigned using a similar model that agrees with the photoelectron angular distributions.