Please wait a minute...
Chin. Phys. B, 2026, Vol. 35(6): 063202    DOI: 10.1088/1674-1056/ae5173
RAPID COMMUNICATION Prev   Next  

Accurate electron affinity of atomic rhodium and fine structure of its anion

Jiayi Chen(陈嘉逸)1, Rui Zhang(张瑞)1, Wenru Jie(揭文茹)1, Qihan Liu(柳淇瀚)1, and Chuangang Ning(宁传刚)1,2,†
1 Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China;
2 Frontier Science Center for Quantum Information, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Abstract  Rhodium (Rh) is a rare and expensive metal, mainly used as a catalyst. Investigating its electronic structure aids in elucidating the mechanisms that govern catalytic reactions. In this work, we employed the high-resolution slow-electron velocity-map imaging (SEVI) method to measure the electron affinity (EA) of Rh and the electronic structure of its atomic anion Rh$^{-}$. The EA of the Rh atom was determined to be 9216.8(4) cm$^{-1}$ or 1.14273(5) eV, representing a fourfold enhancement in precision over the previous best result. Moreover, the energy levels of Rh$^-$ were measured to be 0.41178(15) eV ($ {}^{3}{\rm F}_{2}$) and 0.28668(7) eV ($ {}^{3}{\rm F}_{3}$) above the ground state $^{3}{\rm F}_{4}$, with an accuracy improved by factors of 110 and 50, respectively, compared to earlier measurements.
Keywords:  electron affinity      fine structure      rhodium anion      slow-electron velocity-map imaging  
Received:  03 February 2026      Revised:  05 March 2026      Accepted manuscript online:  13 March 2026
PACS:  32.10.Hq (Ionization potentials, electron affinities)  
  32.10.Fn (Fine and hyperfine structure)  
  32.80.Gc (Photodetachment of atomic negative ions)  
  37.10.Ty (Ion trapping)  
Fund: Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 12374244 and 12341401).
Corresponding Authors:  Chuangang Ning     E-mail:  ningcg@tsinghua.edu.cn

Cite this article: 

Jiayi Chen(陈嘉逸), Rui Zhang(张瑞), Wenru Jie(揭文茹), Qihan Liu(柳淇瀚), and Chuangang Ning(宁传刚) Accurate electron affinity of atomic rhodium and fine structure of its anion 2026 Chin. Phys. B 35 063202

[1] Livingstone S E 1975 The Chemistry of Ruthenium, Rhodium, Palladium, Osmium, Iridium and Platinum (Oxford: Pergamon) p. 1179
[2] Qi X T, Li Y Z, Bai R P and Lan Y 2017 Acc. Chem. Res. 50 2799
[3] Shibata Y and Tanaka K 2012 Synthesis 44 323
[4] Fagnou K and Lautens M 2003 Chem. Rev. 103 169
[5] Dey S and Dhal G C 2020 Polytechnica 3 26
[6] Shelef M and Graham G W 1994 Catal. Rev. 36 433
[7] Azhar U, Iftikhar M T, Arif M, Rehman M A, Ibrahim T H and El-Kadri O M 2025 Int. J. Hydrog. Energy 101 1448
[8] Li B, Ding Y, Kim D Y, Ahuja R, Zou G and Mao H K 2011 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 108 18618
[9] Lapointe S, Duari P and Gessner V H 2023 Chem. Sci. 14 3816
[10] Chen X L and Ning C G 2016 Phys. Rev. A 93 052508
[11] Lu Y Z, Zhao J, Tang R L, Fu X X and Ning C G 2020 J. Chem. Phys. 152 034302
[12] Feigerle C S, Corderman R R, Bobashev S V and Lineberger W C 1981 J. Chem. Phys. 74 1580
[13] Scheer M, Brodie C A, Bilodeau R C and Haugen H K 1998 Phys. Rev. A 58 2051
[14] Tang R L, Fu X X, Lu Y Z and Ning C G 2020 J. Chem. Phys. 152 114303
[15] Yan S T, Lu Y Z, Zhang R and Ning C G 2024 Chin. J. Chem. Phys. 37 1
[16] Song C X, Yan S T, Godefroid M, Bieron J, J onsson P, Gaigalas G, Ek- man J, Zhang X M, Chen C Y, Ning C G and Si R 2024 J. Chem. Phys. 160 214307
[17] Chen X L, Luo Z H, Li J M and Ning C G 2016 Sci. Rep. 6 24996
[18] Fu X X, Luo Z H, Chen X L, Li J M and Ning C G 2016 J. Chem. Phys. 145 164307
[19] Lu Y Z, Zhang R, Song C X, Chen C Y, Si R and Ning C G 2023 Chin. Phys. Lett. 40 093101
[20] Zhang R, Lu Y, Tang R and Ning C G 2023 J. Chem. Phys. 158 084303
[21] Lu Y, Tang R, Fu X and Ning C G 2019 Phys. Rev. A 99 062507
[22] Fu X X, Tang R L, Lu Y Z and Ning C G 2020 Chin. Phys. B 29 073201
[23] Tang R L, Lu Y Z, Liu H T and Ning C G 2021 Phys. Rev. A 103 L050801
[24] Tang R L, Si R, Fei Z J, Fu X X, Lu Y Z, Brage T, Liu H, Chen C and Ning C 2021 Phys. Rev. A 103 042817
[25] Zhang R, Lu Y Z, Yan S T and Ning C G 2025 Phys. Rev. A 111 023102
[26] Tang R L, Fu X X and Ning C G 2018 J. Chem. Phys. 149 134304
[27] Luo Z, Chen X, Li J and Ning C 2016 Phys. Rev. A 93 020501
[28] Ning C G and Lu Y Z 2022 J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data 51 021502
[29] Wiley W C and McLaren I H 1955 Rev. Sci. Instrum. 26 1150
[30] Leon I, Yang Z, Liu H T and Wang L S 2014 Rev. Sci. Instrum. 85 083106
[31] Eppink A T J B and Parker D H 1997 Rev. Sci. Instrum. 68 3477
[32] Dick B 2013 Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 16 570
[33] Sansonetti J E and Martin W C 2005 J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data 34 1559
[34] Wigner E P 1948 Phys. Rev. 73 1002
[35] Tang R L, Chen X L, Fu X X, Wang H and Ning C G 2018 Phys. Rev. A 98 020501
[1] Diamond-based electron emission: Structure, properties and mechanisms
Liang-Xue Gu(顾梁雪), Kai Yang(杨凯), Yan Teng(滕妍), Wei-Kang Zhao(赵伟康), Geng-You Zhao(赵耕右), Kang-Kang Fan(凡康康), Bo Feng(冯博), Rong Zhang(张荣), You-Dou Zheng(郑有炓), Jian-Dong Ye(叶建东), Shun-Ming Zhu(朱顺明), Kun Tang(汤琨), and Shu-Lin Gu(顾书林). Chin. Phys. B, 2024, 33(9): 098102.
[2] Theoretical characterization of the adsorption configuration of pyrrole on Si(100) surface by x-ray spectroscopy
Hao-Qing Li(李好情), Jing Ming(明静), Zhi-Ang Jiang(姜志昂), Hai-Bo Li(李海波), Yong Ma(马勇), and Xiu-Neng Song(宋秀能). Chin. Phys. B, 2024, 33(2): 026102.
[3] Numerical studies of isotopic selective photoionization of ytterbium in a three-step ionization scheme
Xiao-Yong Lu(卢肖勇) and Li-De Wang(王立德). Chin. Phys. B, 2023, 32(5): 053204.
[4] Secondary electron emission and photoemission from a negative electron affinity semiconductor with large mean escape depth of excited electrons
Ai-Gen Xie(谢爱根), Hong-Jie Dong(董红杰), and Yi-Fan Liu(刘亦凡). Chin. Phys. B, 2023, 32(4): 048102.
[5] Spin pumping by higher-order dipole-exchange spin-wave modes
Peng Wang(王鹏). Chin. Phys. B, 2023, 32(3): 037601.
[6] Fine and hyperfine structures of pionic helium atoms
Zhi-Da Bai(白志达), Zhen-Xiang Zhong(钟振祥), Zong-Chao Yan(严宗朝), and Ting-Yun Shi(史庭云). Chin. Phys. B, 2023, 32(2): 023601.
[7] Mixed-field effect at the hyperfine level of 127I79Br in its rovibronic ground state: Toward field manipulation of cold molecules
Zhengbin Bao(包正斌), Defu Wang(王得富), Xuping Shao(邵旭萍),Yunxia Huang(黄云霞), and Xiaohua Yang(杨晓华). Chin. Phys. B, 2023, 32(12): 123302.
[8] Hyperfine structures and the field effects of IBr molecule in its rovibronic ground state
Defu Wang(王得富), Xuping Shao(邵旭萍), Yunxia Huang(黄云霞), Chuanliang Li(李传亮), and Xiaohua Yang(杨晓华). Chin. Phys. B, 2021, 30(11): 113301.
[9] Accurate electron affinity of atomic cerium and excited states of its anion
Xiao-Xi Fu(付筱茜), Ru-Lin Tang(唐如麟), Yu-Zhu Lu(陆禹竹), Chuan-Gang Ning(宁传刚). Chin. Phys. B, 2020, 29(7): 073201.
[10] Low temperature Pmmm and C2/m phases in Sr2CuO3+δ high temperature superconductor
Hai-Bo Wang(王海波), Zhen-Lin Luo(罗震林), Yuan-Jun Yang(杨远俊), Qing-Qing Liu(刘清青), Si-Xia Hu(胡思侠), Meng-Meng Yang(杨蒙蒙), Chang-Qing Jin(靳常青), Chen Gao(高琛). Chin. Phys. B, 2019, 28(5): 056103.
[11] Accurate calculation of electron affinity for S3
Xue Yang(杨雪), Haifeng Xu(徐海峰), Bing Yan(闫冰). Chin. Phys. B, 2019, 28(1): 013203.
[12] Velocity-selective spectroscopy measurements of Rydberg fine structure states in a hot vapor cell
Jun He(何军), Dongliang Pei(裴栋梁), Jieying Wang(王杰英), Junmin Wang(王军民). Chin. Phys. B, 2017, 26(11): 113202.
[13] Observation of positive and small electron affinity of Si-doped AlN films grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on n-type 6H-SiC
Feng Liang(梁锋), Ping Chen(陈平), De-Gang Zhao(赵德刚), De-Sheng Jiang(江德生), Zhi-Juan Zhao(赵志娟), Zong-Shun Liu(刘宗顺), Jian-Jun Zhu(朱建军), Jing Yang(杨静), Wei Liu(刘炜), Xiao-Guang He(何晓光), Xiao-Jing Li(李晓静), Xiang Li(李翔), Shuang-Tao Liu(刘双韬), Hui Yang(杨辉), Li-Qun Zhang(张立群), Jian-Ping Liu(刘建平), Yuan-Tao Zhang(张源涛), Guo-Tong Du(杜国同). Chin. Phys. B, 2016, 25(5): 057703.
[14] Stark effect of the hyperfine structure of ICl in its rovibronic ground state: Towards further molecular cooling
Qing-Hui Wang(王庆辉), Xu-Ping Shao(邵旭萍), Xiao-Hua Yang(杨晓华). Chin. Phys. B, 2016, 25(1): 013301.
[15] Manipulating coupling state and magnetism of Mn-doped ZnO nanocrystals by changing the coordination environment of Mn via hydrogen annealing
Yan Cheng(程岩), Wen-Xian Li(李文献), Wei-Chang Hao(郝维昌), Huai-Zhe Xu(许怀哲), Zhong-Fei Xu(徐忠菲), Li-Rong Zheng(郑离荣), Jing Zhang(张静),Shi-Xue Dou(窦士学), Tian-Min Wang(王天民). Chin. Phys. B, 2016, 25(1): 017301.
No Suggested Reading articles found!