# Relaxation dynamics and genuine properties of the solvated electron in neutral water clusters

## TL;DR

This study investigates the solvation dynamics, binding energy, and photoemission anisotropy of solvated electrons in neutral water clusters, revealing similarities to bulk water despite small cluster size.

## Contribution

It provides new insights into the genuine properties of solvated electrons in water clusters using combined experimental and simulation approaches.

## Key findings

- Solvation completes within about 2 ps.
- Single spectral band indicates no isomer diversity.
- Genuine binding energy is 3.55-3.85 eV, anisotropy 0.51-0.66.

## Abstract

We have investigated the solvation dynamics and the genuine binding energy and photoemission anisotropy of the solvated electron in neutral water clusters with a combination of time-resolved photoelectron velocity map imaging and electron scattering simulations. The dynamics was probed with a UV probe pulse following above-band-gap excitation with a EUV pump pulse. The solvation dynamics is completed within about 2 ps. Only a single band is observed in the spectra, with no indication for isomers with distinct binding energies. Data analysis with an electron scattering model reveals a genuine binding energy in the range of 3.55-3.85 eV and a genuine anisotropy parameter in the range of 0.51-0.66 for the ground-state hydrated electron. All these observations coincide with those for liquid bulk, which is rather unexpected for an average cluster size of 300 molecules.

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/1906.08767