Phosphorus cluster production by laser ablation

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Neutral and charged phosphorus clusters of a wide size range have been produced by pulsed laser ablation (PLA) in vacuum at 532, 337, and 193 nm ablating wavelengths and investigated by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The neutral Pₙ clusters are even-numbered with local abundance maxima at n = 10 and 14, while the cationic and anionic clusters are preferentially odd-numbered with (P₇)+, (P₂1)+, and (P₁7)- being the most abundant ions. The dominance of the magic clusters is more pronounced at 337-nm ablation that is explained by efficient direct ejection of their building blocks under these conditions. Nanocrystalline phosphorus films have been produced by PLA in ambient helium gas.