A theoretical study of the role of the hydrogen bond on core ionization of the water dimer

Motivated by the interest in using X-ray spectra for probing of hydrogen bonded networks we developed a quantum model for simulations of the electronic-vibrational profile of the X-ray core photoelectron spectrum of the water dimer. It is found that the potential surfaces of the donor and acceptor O1s core-ionized states of this system display a qualitative difference. Large gradients of the potential in the core ionized state along some intermolecular coordinates combined with small vibrational frequencies breaks down completely the harmonic approximation. The band profiles are therefore treated using a quasi-continuum approximation. The weak hydrogen bonding and the drastic change of water dimer potential under core ionization is responsible for the anomalously strong vibrational broadening: 0.4 eV for the acceptor band and 0.6 eV for the donor band. The core ionization of the donor oxygen is accompanied by proton transfer which should be observable in X-ray fluorescence or Auger spectra.