Enhanced electron attachment to Rydberg states in molecular hydrogen volume discharges

Journal Article · Sat May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1999 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.370513· OSTI ID:337500

Pinnaduwage, L A; Ding, W X; McCorkle, D L ^[1]; Lin, S H; Mebel, A M ^[2]; Garscadden, A ^[3]

---

1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6122 (United States)
2. Institute of Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, P.O. Box 23-166, Taipei 10764, Taiwan, Republic of (China)
3. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433 (United States)

We review recent studies on negative ion formation and studies in other areas that are relevant to the role of high-Rydberg states of H{sub 2} and H{sub 3} in hydrogen negative ion sources. Possible mechanisms for the formation of these excited states are discussed, including the formation of long-lived superexcited (core-excited) Rydberg states. Experimental evidence for negative ion formation via electron attachment to core-excited Rydberg states in a glow discharge apparatus is presented. An expression for the dissociative electron attachment rate constant for Rydberg molecules is derived based on electron capture by a Rydberg molecule due to polarization interaction. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}

• OSTI ID: 337500
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 85; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
66 PHYSICS
DISSOCIATION
ELECTRON ATTACHMENT
GLOW DISCHARGES
HYDROGEN
ION SOURCES
POLARIZATION
RYDBERG STATES