Infrared Action Spectroscopy of Low-Temperature Neutral Gas-Phase Molecules of Arbitrary Structure

• We demonstrate a technique for IR action spectroscopy that enables measuring IR spectra in a background-free fashion for low-temperature neutral gas-phase molecules of arbitrary structure. The method is exemplified experimentally for N -methylacetamide molecules in the mid-IR spectral range of 1000–1800cm −1 , utilizing the free electron laser FELIX. The technique involves the resonant absorption of multiple mid-IR photons, which induces molecular dissociation. The dissociation products are probed with 10.49 eV vacuum ultraviolet photons and analyzed with a mass spectrometer. We also demonstrate the capability of this method to record, with unprecedented ease, mid-IR spectra for the molecular associates, such as clusters and oligomers, present in a molecular beam. In this way the mass-selected spectra of low-temperature gas-phase dimers and trimers of N -methylacetamide are measured in the full amide I–III range.

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NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

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