Submersion of rubidium clusters in helium nanodroplets

Alkali atoms and small clusters are known to reside on the surface of a helium droplet rather than its inside as most other dopant species. A theoretical investigation suggested that alkali clusters (Li–Rb) exceeding a certain critical size can become submerged in the droplet, which was experimentally confirmed for sodium and potassium. Here, we report an analogous experimental study of rubidium cluster submersion by means of electron impact mass spectrometry. We recorded size distributions of Rb cluster ions at various electron energies between 8 and 160 eV. Our data suggest that Rb clusters attached to helium droplets undergo a gradual submersion transition similar to potassium, ultimately leading to the full submersion of clusters larger than $$\sim 100~\hbox {Rb}$$ ∼ 100 Rb atoms. Our findings are consistent with previous theoretical and experimental studies. Graphic abstract