Infrared induced electron detachment from negatively charged helium nanodroplets

A beam of helium nanodroplets, produced by fragmentation in a low entropy supersonic expansion, is negatively charged by low energy electron impact. After a flight time of several milliseconds, it passes through a weak transverse field above an electron multiplier. A spontaneous electron detachment signal from the nanodroplets is observed, which can be increased by infrared light. Possible mechanisms for these processes will be discussed in terms of droplet structural models.