# The inner-shell ionization and fragmentation of selenophene at 120 eV

## TL;DR

This study explores how selenophene breaks apart when exposed to high-energy electrons, revealing new insights into molecular fragmentation processes.

## Contribution

The paper introduces detailed fragmentation dynamics of selenophene at 120 eV using advanced imaging and analysis techniques.

## Key findings

- Over 50 distinct selenophene fragmentation channels were identified and characterized.
- Many fragmentation products had identical mass-to-charge ratios but varied in chemical composition.
- The heteroatom's nature influences charge redistribution and bond cleavage dynamics in inner-shell ionization.

## Abstract

The inner-shell ionization of selenophene at 120 eV produces a rich array of fragmentation dynamics, including many originating from Auger-Meitner processes. In this report, three-dimensional velocity-map imaging and covariance analysis were used to identify and characterize over 50 distinct selenophene fragmentation channels. The majority resulted in two or three ‘heavy’ products containing selenium or carbon, many of which had identical mass-to-charge ratios but different chemical compositions due to the degree of hydrogenation and the selenium isotope involved. Covariance analysis was used to isolate these reaction channels and to provide estimates of their relative yields. In combination with prior similar studies on thiophene and furan, the current results indicate that the nature of the heteroatom significantly influences the charge redistribution and bond cleavage dynamics induced by the Auger-Meitner process, and demonstrate the sensitivity of inner-shell ionization dynamics to the molecular and electronic structures of heterocyclic systems.