Relativistic Jahn-Teller effects in the photoelectron spectra of tetrahedral P4, As4, Sb4, and Bi4.

The group-V tetrahedral cluster cations P(4)(+), As(4)(+), Sb(4)(+), and Bi(4)(+) are known to exhibit exceptionally strong Jahn-Teller (JT) effects of electrostatic origin in their (2)E ground states and (2)T(2) excited states. It has been predicted that there exist, in addition, JT couplings of relativistic origin (arising from the spin-orbit (SO) operator) in (2)E and (2)T(2) states of tetrahedral systems, which should become relevant for the heavier elements. In the present work, the JT and SO couplings in the group-V tetramer cations have been analyzed with ab initio relativistic electronic structure calculations. The vibronic line spectra and the band shapes of the photoelectron spectra were simulated with time-dependent quantum wave-packet methods. The results provide insight into the interplay of electrostatic and relativistic JT couplings and SO splittings in the complex photoelectron spectra of these systems.