Electron solvation in water clusters following charge transfer from iodide

The dynamics following charge transfer to solvent from iodide to a water cluster are studied using time-resolved photoelectron imaging of I-(H2O)(n) and I-(D2O)(n) clusters with n <= 28. The results show spontaneous conversion, on a time scale of similar to 1 ps, from water cluster anions with surface-bound electrons to structures in which the excess electron is more strongly bound and possibly more internalized within the solvent network. The resulting dynamics provide valuable insight into the electron solvation dynamics in water clusters and the relative stabilities between recently observed isomers of water cluster anions. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.