Near-Ambient Pressure Velocity Map Imaging

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel velocity map imaging instrument capable of operating at near-ambient pressures, enabling the study of molecular surface scattering and reaction dynamics under more realistic conditions.

Contribution

The paper presents a new NAP-VMI instrument design that maintains vacuum conditions while allowing imaging at near-ambient pressures, expanding experimental capabilities.

Findings

Demonstrated NAP-VMI with N2O photodissociation

Compared scattering data at vacuum and near-ambient pressure

Showed potential for broader applications like spectroscopy

Abstract

We present a new velocity map imaging instrument for studying molecular beam surface scattering in a near-ambient pressure (NAP-VMI) environment. The instrument offers the possibility to study chemical reaction dynamics and kinetics where higher pressures are either desired or unavoidable. NAP-VMI conditions are created by two sets of ion optics that guide ions through an aperture and map their velocities. The aperture separates the high pressure ionization region and maintains the necessary vacuum in the detector region. The performance of the NAP-VMI is demonstrated with results from N$_2$O photodissociation and N$_2$ scattering from Pd(110) surface, which are compared under vacuum and at near-ambient pressure ($ 1\times10^{-3} $ mbar). NAP-VMI has the potential to be a applied to, and useful for, a broader range of experiments including photoelectron spectroscopy and scattering with liquid microjets.