Emission of highly excited electronic states of potassium from cryptomelane nanorods

Cryptomelane (KMn8O16) nanorods were synthesized, characterized (XRD, Raman spectroscopy, TEM/SAED) and investigated by species resolved thermal desorption of potassium from the material in the range of 20-620 °C. The desorbing fluxes of ions, atoms and highly excited electronic states (field ionizable Rydberg states) were measured using an ion collector, surface ionization and field ionization detectors, respectively, in a vacuum apparatus. The non-equilibrium emission of potassium Rydberg species (principal quantum number > 30) strongly depends on the surface positive voltage bias with a broad maximum at 1-8 V. The stimulation of Rydberg species emission is discussed in terms of spatial and energetic overlapping between the electron cloud above the cryptomelane surface and the desorbing potassium ion.