Abstract
Experimental evidence is presented, for the first time, that , N≥1, atoms and clusters have a lifetime of about s or longer. It is discussed whether the negatively charged xenon atoms and small clusters are in the ground or in an electronically excited, metastable state. Ground-state clusters are stable if N≥6 and probably down to N=2. Structure in the mass spectra correlates well with calculated binding energies.
- Received 23 May 1989
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.63.1219
©1989 American Physical Society