Time and kinetic energy resolved delayed electron emission in small carbon cluster anions

We present the first study of time-resolved delayed electron emission in small anionic carbon clusters. Using photoelectron velocity map imaging spectroscopy in conjunction with time-gated detection we are able to resolve delayed electron emission at different stages of the emission process. This unique capability is an essential tool to analyse pure thermionic energy spectra under well-defined conditions. The more striking result of the present work is that the effective temperature at a given delay after excitation is determined by the emission rate, rather than by the excitation energy deposited in the cluster.