Electric dipole polarizabilities of Ni12–58

The electric dipole polarizabilities of Ni12–Ni58 have been measured via a molecular beam deflection experiment. The majority of the clusters display polarizabilities α between 4 and 6 Å3 per atom, below the atomic value of 6.8 Å3 and above that predicted for ideal conducting spheres. Local extrema in α/atom are observed for certain Nin. In particular, those clusters that adopt closely packed or quasispherical structures (e.g., Ni38, Ni55) display local minima, while Ni21, Ni22, Ni25, and Ni49–54, each an icosahedron or polyicosahedron with “missing” atoms, display anomalously high values. The relationship between the polarizabilities of nickel clusters and their shapes and structures is discussed.