Ionization potential measurement of NanFn-p for p up to 5

NanFn-p clusters were produced in a laser vaporization source. They were ionized by one photon and detected in a high-resolution time of flight mass spectrometer. Only odd values of p were observed, apart from Na4F2, Na8F6, Na14F12 and Na23F21. Ionization potentials (IP) were measured for n up to 30 and p up to 5. The IPs of the Na14F14-p sequence are in good agreement with existing theoretical predictions. Na15F12 and Na24F21 have a surprisingly low IP, which indicates that the metallization sequence is of a different nature in this case.