Linking photoelectron circular dichroism to the asymmetric total photoemission yield measured in aerosol nanoparticles of tyrosine

TL;DR

This paper shows how a strong chiroptical effect called PECD can be used to detect chirality in particles without complex equipment.

Contribution

The study introduces CAPY, a new method to detect chirality in particles using total photoemission yield instead of electron spectrometers.

Findings

PECD's chiral asymmetry can be translated into total photoemission yield (CAPY) in condensed particles.

CAPY can be detected experimentally without high vacuum systems or electron spectrometers.

CAPY offers high sensitivity to chirality for submicron particles in various applications.

Abstract

Spectroscopic techniques that are sensitive to molecular chirality are important analytical tools to quantitatively determine enantiomeric excess and purity of chiral molecular samples. Many chiroptical processes however produce weak enantio-specific asymmetries due to their origin relying on weak magnetic dipole or electric quadrupole effects. Photoelectron circular dichroism (PECD) in contrast, is an intense effect, that is fully contained in the electric dipole description of light matter interaction and creates a chiral asymmetry in the photoelectron angular distribution. Here, we demonstrate that this chiral signature in the angular distribution of emitted electrons can be translated into the total photoemission yield for particulate matter. The resulting chiral asymmetry of the photoemission yield (CAPY), mediated by the attenuation of light within condensed particles, can be detected experimentally without requiring high vacuum systems and electron spectrometers. This effect can be exploited as an analytical tool with high sensitivity to chirality and enantiopurity for studies of chiral organic and hybrid submicron particles in environmental, biomedical or catalytic applications.

Photoelectron circular dichroism (PECD) is a strong chiroptical effect affecting the angular distribution of photoelectrons emitted from chiral molecules ionized by circularly polarized light. Here, the authors show how PECD creates a similar-magnitude effect in the total photoemission yield of condensed particles.

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