https://doi.org/10.1007/s100530050347
Dissociative attachment of low-energy electrons to vibrationally excited Na2 molecules using a photoelectron source
1
Fachbereich Physik der Universität Kaiserslautern, Postfach 3049,
67653 Kaiserslautern, Germany
2
Fachbereich Chemie der Universität Kaiserslautern, Postfach 3049,
67653 Kaiserslautern, Germany
Received:
21
November
1998
Revised:
7
April
1999
Published online: 15 August 1999
The process of dissociative attachment (DA) of low-energy
electrons ) to vibrationally excited
sodium dimer molecules is studied with high electron energy
resolution (
) in a supersonic
molecular beam. A novel photoelectron source, based on two-step
photoionization of the sodium atoms in the beam, may deliver a
current of up to 1 nA and has been used with a current of
typically 0.2 nA in this experiment. The energy dependence of the
rate of sodium anion formation is determined by ion detection
based on a time-of-flight analysis. The molecules are selectively
excited to levels
using the technique of coherent
population transfer by delayed pulses (STIRAP). The comparison of
the experimental data with recent resonance model calculations
based on improved potential curves reveals generally good
agreement for levels v">12. For
some distinct
differences between theoretical and experimental results persist.
PACS: 34.80.Ht – Dissociation and dissociative attachment by electron impact / 34.80.Qb – Laser-modified scattering / 31.25.Nj – Electron-correlation calculations for diatomic molecules
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 1999