Far-Infrared Spectroscopy of Cationic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Zero Kinetic Energy Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Pentacene Vaporized from Laser Desorption

TL;DR

This study provides laboratory far-infrared spectra of cationic pentacene, identifying specific vibrational modes that could help detect individual PAH molecules in space using future infrared space telescopes.

Contribution

It reports the first laboratory FIR spectra of cationic pentacene, including three IR active modes, aiding in the identification of PAHs in astrophysical environments.

Findings

Identified three FIR vibrational modes of cationic pentacene at 53.3, 84.8, and 266 μm.

Obtained vibrational spectra using ZEKE and multiphoton ionization techniques.

Provided data that could be detectable by space missions like SPICA.

Abstract

The distinctive set of infrared (IR) emission bands at 3.3, 6.2, 7.7, 8.6, and 11.3{\mu}m are ubiquitously seen in a wide variety of astrophysical environments. They are generally attributed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules. However, not a single PAH species has yet been identified in space, as the mid-IR vibrational bands are mostly representative of functional groups and thus do not allow one to fingerprint individual PAH molecules. In contrast, the far-IR (FIR) bands are sensitive to the skeletal characteristics of a molecule, hence they are important for chemical identification of unknown species. With an aim to offer laboratory astrophysical data for the Herschel Space Observatory, Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, and similar future space missions, in this work we report neutral and cation FIR spectroscopy of pentacene (C_22H_14), a five-ring PAH molecule. We report three IR active modes of cationic pentacene at 53.3, 84.8, and 266{\mu}m that may be detectable by space missions such as the SAFARI instrument on board SPICA. In the experiment, pentacene is vaporized from a laser desorption source and cooled by a supersonic argon beam. We have obtained results from two-color resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization and two-color zero kinetic energy photoelectron (ZEKE) spectroscopy. Several skeletal vibrational modes of the first electronically excited state of the neutral species and those of the cation are assigned, with the aid of ab initio and density functional calculations.