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Title: Dissociative electron attachment to CCl{sub 4}: Lifetime of the CCl{sub 4}{sup -} intermediate

Journal Article · · Bulletin of the American Physical Society
OSTI ID:394148

Dissociative electron capture to CCl{sub 4} is studied by measuring the angular and velocity distribution of Cl{sup {minus}} ions produced in collisions with velocity selected K(np) Rydberg atoms. Analysis of the data using a Monte Carlo collision code that models the detailed kinematics of the reaction indicates that the lifetime of the CCl{sub 4}{sup {minus}} intermediate formed by Rydberg electron capture is 7.5 {plus_minus} 2.5 ps and that, upon dissociation, only a small fraction of the excess energy of reaction appears as translational energy of the Cl{sup {minus}} and CCl{sub 3} fragments. The present approach is one of the few experimental techniques yet devised that can probe the lifetimes of collisionally-produced excited states on a picosecond timescale, and demonstrates that Rydberg atoms provide a unique tool with which to investigate the dynamics of dissociative electron attachment. Measurements are being extended to additional species, including CFCl{sub 3}.

OSTI ID:
394148
Report Number(s):
CONF-9605105-; ISSN 0003-0503; TRN: 96:028812
Journal Information:
Bulletin of the American Physical Society, Vol. 41, Issue 3; Conference: 27. annual meeting of the Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (DAMOP) of the American Physical Society (APS), Ann Arbor, MI (United States), 15-18 May 1996; Other Information: PBD: May 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English