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The formation and evolution mechanism of fullerenes in the planetary nebulaor in the interstellar medium are still not understood. Here we present thestudy on the cluster formation and the relative reactivity of fullerene cations(from smaller to larger, C$_{44}$ to C$_{70}$) with anthracene molecule(C$_{14}$H$_{10}$). The experiment is performed in the apparatus that combinesa quadrupole ion trap with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. By using a 355nm laser beam to irradiate the trapped fullerenes cations (C$_{60}$$^+$ orC$_{70}$$^+$), smaller fullerene cations C$_{(60-2n)}$$^+$, n=1-8 orC$_{(70-2m)}$$^+$, m=1-11 are generated, respectively. Then reacting withanthracene molecules, series of fullerene/anthracene cluster cations are newlyformed (e.g., (C$_{14}$H$_{10}$)C$_{(60-2n)}$$^+$, n=1-8 and(C$_{14}$H$_{10}$)C$_{(70-2m)}$$^+$, m=1-11), and slight difference of thereactivity within the smaller fullerene cations are observed. Nevertheless,smaller fullerenes show obviously higher reactivity when comparing to fullereneC$_{60}$$^+$ and C$_{70}$$^+$.  A successive loss of C$_2$ fragments mechanism is suggested to account forthe formation of smaller fullerene cations, which then undergo additionreaction with anthracene molecules to form the fullerene-anthracene clustercations. It is found that the higher laser energy and longer irradiation timeare key factors that affect the formation of smaller fullerene cations. Thismay indicate that in the strong radiation field environment (such asphoton-dominated regions) in space, fullerenes are expected to follow thetop-down evolution route, and then form small grain dust (e.g., clusters)through collision reaction with co-existing molecules, here, smaller PAHs.

Laboratory study of the formation of fullerene (from smaller to larger, C$_{44}$ to C$_{70}$)/anthracene cluster cations in the gas phase