Structure, properties, and photodissociation of O[sub 4][sup -].

We present the results of an ab initio quantum-chemical investigation of the structure of the anion O[sub 4][sup -] and potential energy surfaces for several electronic states. In addition to ground-state vibrational frequencies, which are in good agreement with other calculations and with matrix isolation experiments, we have investigated both photodissociation of O[sub 4][sup -] into various states of O[sub 2] and O[sub 2][sup -] and dissociative photodetachment leading to a free electron and various states of two O[sub 2] molecules. Our surfaces lead to predictions for both photodissociation and photodetachment processes that are in excellent agreement with experiment. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]