Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Multiply Charged Anions
Summary
Photoelectron spectroscopy of multiply charged anions offers a window into the intrinsic electronic architecture and detachment dynamics of gas-phase di- and trianions. By measuring the kinetic energy distribution of electrons released upon photon absorption, this technique reveals vertical detachment energies, the height of repulsive Coulomb barriers and the competition between direct photodetachment, barrier-mediated tunnelling and thermionic emission. Advances in tunable lasers, ion trapping and two-dimensional imaging have extended such studies from simple inorganic clusters to complex organic and metallodianions, enabling precise characterisation of excited-state lifetimes, dissociative photodetachment pathways and the influence of intramolecular hydrogen bonding. Beyond fundamental interest in electron correlation under extreme Coulombic repulsion, these investigations inform atmospheric processes, radiation damage in biomolecules and the rational design of functional anionic materials by providing solvent-free benchmarks for computational modelling.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Multiply Charged Anions publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in photoelectron spectroscopy of multiply charged anions across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Multiply charged anion: Ion carrying more than one negative charge, often exhibiting strong Coulombic repulsion.
Photoelectron spectroscopy: Technique for measuring the kinetic energy of electrons emitted from an ion or molecule upon photon absorption.
Repulsive Coulomb barrier (RCB): Electrostatic barrier that inhibits low-energy electron emission from a multiply charged anion.
Vertical detachment energy (VDE): Energy required to remove an electron from an ion without allowing the molecular framework to relax.
Thermionic emission: Temperature-driven release of electrons from an excited species following internal conversion.
Resonant electron tunnelling: Quantum-mechanical process by which an electron escapes through the repulsive Coulomb barrier via an excited-state resonance.
Dissociative photodetachment: Process in which electron detachment is accompanied by simultaneous molecular fragmentation.
References
- Kasha’s Rule and Koopmans’ Correlations for Electron Tunnelling through Repulsive Coulomb Barriers in a Polyanion. The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters (2022).
- Electron Loss and Dissociation Pathways of a Complex Dicarboxylate Dianion: EDTA2–. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A (2024).
- Photoelectron Imaging Study of the Diplatinum Iodide Dianions [Pt2I6]2– and [Pt2I8]2–. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A (2022).
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.