Surface location of alkaline-earth-metal-atom impurities on helium nanodroplets

There has been notable uncertainty regarding the degree of solvation of alkaline-earth-metals atoms, especially Mg, in free He-4 nanodroplets. We have measured the electron energy dependence of the ionization yield of picked-up atoms. There is a qualitative shape difference between the yield curves of species solvated in the middle of the droplet and species located in the surface region; this difference arises from the enhanced role played by the Penning ionization process in the latter case. The measurements demonstrate that Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba all reside at or near the droplet surface.