An FTICR study of collision-induced dissociation of Nb7H8+ clusters

The Nb7H6+-H-2 dissociation threshold E-0 has been measured as E-0 = 1.50 /- 0.35 eV using collision-induced dissociation (CID) of Nb7H8+ clusters in a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) cell. The effects of m ultiple collisions, threshold model function, kinetic/radiative shift, and the thermal internal energy of the parent cluster on the measured threshold energy value have been considered. General advantages and disadvantages of using FTICR in CID studies are discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.