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APS » Journals » Phys. Rev. Lett. » Volume 91 » Issue 16
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 163401 (2003) [4 pages]

Spectroscopic Studies of Quantum Solvation in 4HeN-N2O Clusters

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Yunjie Xu1, Wolfgang Jäger1,*, Jian Tang2, and A. R. W. McKellar2,†
1Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G2
2Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0R6

Received 16 July 2003; published 14 October 2003

See accompanying Physics Focus

High resolution microwave and infrared spectra of HeN-N2O clusters were studied in the range N=3 to 12. The apparent cluster moments of inertia increase from N=3 to 6, but then decrease, showing oscillatory behavior for N=7 to 12. This provides direct experimental evidence for the decoupling of helium atoms from the rotation of the dopant molecule in this size regime, signaling the transition from a molecular complex to a quantum solvated system and directly exploring the microscopic evolution of “molecular superfluidity.”

© 2003 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.91.163401
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.91.163401
PACS:
36.40.Mr, 61.46.+w, 67.40.Yv

*To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Email address: wolfgang.jaeger@ualberta.ca

†Email address: robert.mckellar@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

 
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