| Abstract Scope |
Research on isolated clusters in the gas-phase, serving as model systems to mimic the active sites of bulk surfaces, has provided a wealth of information on fundamental photochemical reaction dynamics. Here, I will present our recent experimental results showing the ultracold distributions of neutral TinOm, FenOm, and NinOm oxide clusters (where n < 10) as produced through the extreme conditions provided by gas-phase supersonic expansion. Research on this sub-nanometer size regime enables insights into the energy transfer, relaxation dynamics, and thermodynamic stability for a whole range of materials that differ from standard bulk stoichiometries and change with the addition or subtraction of a single atom. Specifically, I will show our ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy measurements on the direct ionization, dissociation, and energy transfer dynamics for these cluster systems, and highlight how both the cluster size and oxidation state play important roles in driving photocatalytic performance. |