Cluster generation from doped silica aerogels by XeCl excimer laser ablation

The generation of negatively charged clusters by excimer laser ablation of some doped silica aerogels was investigated by mass spectrometry. Three sequences of silica clusters were observed from the host material of the 'carbon'-doped and Rh6G-doped samples, but no clusters formed from the dopants could be detected. In contrast, for fullerene-doped silica aerogel only information from the fullerene dopant was obtained. The structures of doped silica aerogels play key roles in the mechanism of cluster generation.