JAHN-TELLER DEFORMATION IN POTASSIUM CLUSTERS AND ITS MANIFESTATION IN ELECTRON-TRANSFER FROM HIGH-RYDBERG KR ATOMS

Potassium cluster anions produced from potassium clusters in collision with high-Rydberg Kr atoms were observed by mass spectrometry, and th e relative cross-sections for collisional electron transfer were estim ated. Even-odd magnitude alternation appearing in the cross-section ve rsus cluster size-distribution was interpreted by Jahn-Teller distorti on of the cluster anions in the framework of the shell model. The magn itude of the alternation was found to depend on the electron affinity of the parent neutral cluster and the number of bath modes related to the stabilization of the cluster anion formed.