<p>A helium nanodroplets isolation spectrometer has been fabricated at IIT Kanpur (HeNDI-IITK) for investigating molecules, molecular clusters and chemical reactions at ultracold temperatures. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first HeNDI spectrometer developed in India and one of only a few worldwide. The spectrometer facilitates the formation and isolation of molecular clusters within superfluid helium droplets, which can then be investigated using mass spectrometry and mass-selective infrared spectroscopy. Currently, the spectrometer can perform mass spectrometry in the range of <InlineEquation ID="IEq1"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">$m/z=$</EquationSource> <EquationSource Format="MATHML"><math> <mrow> <mi>m</mi> <mo stretchy="false">/</mo> <mi>z</mi> <mo>=</mo> </mrow> </math></EquationSource> </InlineEquation>2–510 u and infrared spectroscopy in the range of 2500–4500 <InlineEquation ID="IEq3"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">$\text{cm}^{-1}$</EquationSource> <EquationSource Format="MATHML"><math> <msup> <mtext>cm</mtext> <mrow> <mo>-</mo> <mn>1</mn> </mrow> </msup> </math></EquationSource> </InlineEquation> with a high spectral resolution of <InlineEquation ID="IEq4"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">$0.0001\,{\text{cm}}^{-1}$</EquationSource> <EquationSource Format="MATHML"><math> <mrow> <mn>0.0001</mn> <mspace width="0.166667em" /> <msup> <mrow> <mtext>cm</mtext> </mrow> <mrow> <mo>-</mo> <mn>1</mn> </mrow> </msup> </mrow> </math></EquationSource> </InlineEquation>, offering potential for extending both measurement ranges in future developments. In this article, we discuss the design and performance of the spectrometer. Mass-selective infrared spectrum of formic acid monomer in the frequency range of ∼3568.8–3572.7 <InlineEquation ID="IEq01"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">$\text{cm}^{-1}$</EquationSource> <EquationSource Format="MATHML"><math> <msup> <mtext>cm</mtext> <mrow> <mo>-</mo> <mn>1</mn> </mrow> </msup> </math></EquationSource> </InlineEquation> is also reported.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>

A helium nanodroplets isolation spectrometer for high-resolution infrared spectroscopy of cold molecules and molecular aggregates

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发表日期：

2026年3月10日

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Devendra Mani,
Riya Gupta,
Sujan Singha,
Yashika,
Pooja Rani,
Pooja Kumari

摘要

A helium nanodroplets isolation spectrometer has been fabricated at IIT Kanpur (HeNDI-IITK) for investigating molecules, molecular clusters and chemical reactions at ultracold temperatures. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first HeNDI spectrometer developed in India and one of only a few worldwide. The spectrometer facilitates the formation and isolation of molecular clusters within superfluid helium droplets, which can then be investigated using mass spectrometry and mass-selective infrared spectroscopy. Currently, the spectrometer can perform mass spectrometry in the range of $m/z=$ $m / z =$ 2–510 u and infrared spectroscopy in the range of 2500–4500 $\text{cm}^{-1}$ ${cm}^{- 1}$ with a high spectral resolution of $0.0001\,{\text{cm}}^{-1}$ $0.0001 {cm}^{- 1}$ , offering potential for extending both measurement ranges in future developments. In this article, we discuss the design and performance of the spectrometer. Mass-selective infrared spectrum of formic acid monomer in the frequency range of ∼3568.8–3572.7 $\text{cm}^{-1}$ ${cm}^{- 1}$ is also reported.

Graphical abstract