Photoelectron spectroscopy of the aluminum hydride anions: AlH2-, AlH3-, Al2H6-, Al3H9-, and Al4H12-

We report measurements of the negative ion photoelectron spectra of the simple aluminum hydride anions: AlH2-, AlH3-, Al2H6-, Al3H9-, and Al4H12-. From these spectra, we measured the vertical detachment energies of the anions, and we estimated the electron affinities of their neutral counterparts. Our results for AlH2-, AlH3-, and Al2H6- were also compared with previous predictions by theory. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4796200]