Reaction of barium atoms with N2O clusters

The chemiluminescence of the reaction of barium atoms and N2O molecules is observed in a crossed molecular beam experiment. The conditions of the molecular N2O beam are varied so that this beam contains no, or many large, N2O clusters. No additional chemiluminescence occurs when the cluster concentration is increased. The large difference in electronic structure between monomers and polymers, which has been shown by Echt et al. by measurement of electron attachment, suggests that a different reaction channel yielding BaO solvated in a N2O cluster is responsible for this absence of chemiluminescence.