{"id":{"repo_id":"rice","oai_identifier":"oai:repository.rice.edu:1911/14097"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/rice/oai:repository.rice.edu:1911/14097","repository":{"repo_id":"rice","name":"Rice University","base_url":"https://repository.rice.edu/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Low energy electron attachment to buckminsterfullerene in Rydberg atom-buckminsterfullerene collisions","abstract":"$C\\sb{60}\\sp-$ ion formation has been observed in collisions between K(np) Rydberg atoms with principal quantum numbers $\\rm35\\leq n\\leq125,$ which corresponds to electrons with mean energies in the range $\\sim$2 meV to $\\sim$170 $\\mu$eV, and $C\\sb{60}$ molecules. This results from Rydberg electron transfer and has permitted study of the low energy electron attachment properties of Buckminsterfullerene, which is known to capture free electrons with energies up to $\\sim$12 eV. Present data agree with a previous Rydberg atom study but disagree with theoretical predictions and also with previous free electron-$C\\sb{60}$ studies. Results from both theory and the free electron experiments suggest that a potential barrier of $\\sim$240 meV exists for electron capture by $C\\sb{60},$ preventing electron capture at very low energies. The present data are compared with previous experiments and with theory, and possible explanations for the observed discrepancy, including evidence for an image-charge-bound state of $C\\sb{60},$ are discussed.","abstract_html":"$C\\sb{60}\\sp-$ ion formation has been observed in collisions between K(np) Rydberg atoms with principal quantum numbers $\\rm35\\leq n\\leq125,$ which corresponds to electrons with mean energies in the range $\\sim$2 meV to $\\sim$170 <span class=\"etd-inline-math\">&mu;</span>eV, and $C\\sb{60}$ molecules. This results from Rydberg electron transfer and has permitted study of the low energy electron attachment properties of Buckminsterfullerene, which is known to capture free electrons with energies up to $\\sim$12 eV. Present data agree with a previous Rydberg atom study but disagree with theoretical predictions and also with previous free electron-$C\\sb{60}$ studies. Results from both theory and the free electron experiments suggest that a potential barrier of $\\sim$240 meV exists for electron capture by $C\\sb{60},$ preventing electron capture at very low energies. The present data are compared with previous experiments and with theory, and possible explanations for the observed discrepancy, including evidence for an image-charge-bound state of $C\\sb{60},$ are discussed.","abstract_has_math":true,"creators":["Finch, Carla D."],"institution":"Rice University","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"Masters","degree_discipline":"Natural Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Dunning, F. B."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1996,"date_issued":"1996","date_published":"1996","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:10:21Z","subjects":["Atomic physics","Molecular physics"],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/1911/14097","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Dunning, F. B."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Finch, Carla D."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2009-06-04T00:15:57Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2009-06-04T00:15:57Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["1996"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Natural Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Rice University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Atomic physics","Molecular physics"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["eng"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/1911/14097"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["$C\\sb{60}\\sp-$ ion formation has been observed in collisions between K(np) Rydberg atoms with principal quantum numbers $\\rm35\\leq n\\leq125,$ which corresponds to electrons with mean energies in the range $\\sim$2 meV to $\\sim$170 $\\mu$eV, and $C\\sb{60}$ molecules. This results from Rydberg electron transfer and has permitted study of the low energy electron attachment properties of Buckminsterfullerene, which is known to capture free electrons with energies up to $\\sim$12 eV. Present data agree with a previous Rydberg atom study but disagree with theoretical predictions and also with previous free electron-$C\\sb{60}$ studies. Results from both theory and the free electron experiments suggest that a potential barrier of $\\sim$240 meV exists for electron capture by $C\\sb{60},$ preventing electron capture at very low energies. The present data are compared with previous experiments and with theory, and possible explanations for the observed discrepancy, including evidence for an image-charge-bound state of $C\\sb{60},$ are discussed."]},{"key":"dc:format.mimetype","label":"Dc Format Mimetype","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Low energy electron attachment to buckminsterfullerene in Rydberg atom-buckminsterfullerene collisions"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Dunning, F. B."],"dc:creator":["Finch, Carla D."],"dc:date.accessioned":["2009-06-04T00:15:57Z"],"dc:date.available":["2009-06-04T00:15:57Z"],"dc:date.issued":["1996"],"dc:description.abstract":["$C\\sb{60}\\sp-$ ion formation has been observed in collisions between K(np) Rydberg atoms with principal quantum numbers $\\rm35\\leq n\\leq125,$ which corresponds to electrons with mean energies in the range $\\sim$2 meV to $\\sim$170 $\\mu$eV, and $C\\sb{60}$ molecules. This results from Rydberg electron transfer and has permitted study of the low energy electron attachment properties of Buckminsterfullerene, which is known to capture free electrons with energies up to $\\sim$12 eV. Present data agree with a previous Rydberg atom study but disagree with theoretical predictions and also with previous free electron-$C\\sb{60}$ studies. Results from both theory and the free electron experiments suggest that a potential barrier of $\\sim$240 meV exists for electron capture by $C\\sb{60},$ preventing electron capture at very low energies. The present data are compared with previous experiments and with theory, and possible explanations for the observed discrepancy, including evidence for an image-charge-bound state of $C\\sb{60},$ are discussed."],"dc:format.mimetype":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/1911/14097"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:rights":["Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder."],"dc:subject":["Atomic physics","Molecular physics"],"dc:title":["Low energy electron attachment to buckminsterfullerene in Rydberg atom-buckminsterfullerene collisions"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Natural Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Rice University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:10:21Z"}