MASS-SPECTROMETRY OF B-N(+/-), P-N(+/-) AND BNPM+/- GENERATED BY LASER-ABLATION

Abstract

By Laser ablating the pure boron and phosphorus powders and their mixture, abundent B-n(+/-), P-n(+/-) and BnPm+/- cluster ions have been produced and recorded subsequently by the time-of-flight mass spectrometers. It is found that almost all B-n(+/-) observed in this experiment have a similar structure, whi;ch is believed to be the close packed structure. The magic number for P-n(+/-) is 8, Which is one of their structural units. It is possible that some P-n(+/-) as well as some BnPm+/- cluster ions, may have a ring structure. All P-n(+/-), B-n(+/-) and BnPm+/- cluster ions have a strong tendency to have their electrons paired.