DOI: 10.1140/epjd/e2003-00180-y THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL D Temperature concepts for small, isolated systems; 1/t decay

Abstract. We report on progress in our investigations of cluster cooling. The analysis of measurements is based on introduction of the microcanonical temperature and a statistical description of the decay of an ensemble with a broad distribution in temperature. The resulting time dependence of the decay rate is a power law close to t−1, replaced by nearly exponential decay after a characteristic time for quenching by radiative cooling. We focus on results obtained for fullerenes, both anions and cations and recently also neutral C60. PACS. 36.40.-c Atomic and molecular clusters – 36.40.Cg Electronic and magnetic properties of clusters – 36.40.Qv Stability and fragmentation of clusters – 36.40.Wa Charged clusters – 39.10.+j Atomic and molecular beam sources and techniques