Luminescence of Nitrogen–Neon Nanoclusters

Abstract

The decay dynamics of the \(\alpha\)-group (\(^2\)D \(\rightarrow ^4\)S transition) of N atoms stabilized in the collection of \(\hbox {N}_2\)–Ne nanoclusters were studied at a temperature of 1.3 K. The variation of the \(\hbox {N}_2\)/Ne ratio in nanoclusters results in substantial changes in the luminescence spectra of the \(\alpha\)-group and in the characteristic decay times for the components of these spectra. In all obtained \(\alpha\)-group spectra, the narrow component at \(\lambda\) = 519.9 nm was observed. The spectroscopic results provide information about the structure of the nitrogen–neon nanoclusters. At elevated temperatures (\(\approx\) 15–36 K), enhanced oxygen \(\beta\)-group luminescence is observed in \(\hbox {N}_2\)–Ne nanoclusters, with a smaller intensity enhancement than those observed within pure \(\hbox {N}_2\) and mixed \(\hbox {N}_2\)–Kr nanoclusters. These results confirm the energy transfer mechanism, in which excited nitrogen molecules formed on the nanocluster surface transfer energy to the stabilized oxygen atoms through the chain of \(\hbox {N}_2\) molecules in a solid matrix.