Abstract

Gas phase hydrocarbons are ionized using the output of UV excimer lasers and frequency doubled dye lasers. The ions generated are mass resolved and kinetic energy distributions of ejected photoelectrons are recorded. Information about the photochemistry and ion spectroscopy of benzaldehyde, benzene and toluene is derived. Molecules adsorbed to metal surfaces are also laser ionizable leading to distinctively sharp peaks in their laser induced time of flight mass spectra.