Resonance Electron Attachment to Tetracyanoquinodimethane

Resonance interaction of low energy (0-14 eV) electrons with gas-phase 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) was investigated using dissociative electron attachment (DEA) spectroscopy. Spectral features associated with formation of long-lived TCNQ molecular negative ions are detected at incident electron energies of 0.3, 1.3, and 3.0 eV. A variety of negative fragments is observed around 4 eV, and slow (microseconds) dissociative decay channels are detected at about 3 eV, in competition with simple re-emission of the captured electron. The average electron detachment time from the TCNQ(-) negative ions formed at 3 eV was evaluated to be 250 μs. The experimental findings are interpreted with the support of density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the empty orbital energies, scaled with an empirical equation, and by comparison with earlier electron transmission spectroscopy (ETS) data. A possible mechanism for the unusual formation of long-lived molecular anions above zero energy (up to 3 eV) is briefly discussed. The present results on the interactions between electrons and isolated TCNQ molecules could give more insight into processes observed in TCNQ adsorbates under conditions of excess negative charge. In particular, electron-stimulated surface reactions are hypothesized, likely occurring when condensed TCNQ molecules are exposed to electron beam irradiation.

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