Neutralized ion-beam studies of the rare gas hydrides: Observation of unique metastability for NeH

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · J. Chem. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.453955· OSTI ID:5464505

Selgren, S F; Hipp, D E; Gellene, G I

The rare gas hydride radicals have been produced by charge exchange of the corresponding ion in a mass selected, high velocity beam with K, Na, Mg, Zn, or Hg target metals. NeH shows unique behavior, being produced in both dissociative and long-lived (>5.0 ..mu..s) metastable states. Arguments based on energetic considerations are presented that the observed metastability should be associated with the ground state of the NeH radical, requiring that it have a shallow well and dissociation barrier analogous to those previously determined for the ground states of the isoelectronic NH/sub 4/, H/sub 3/O, and H/sub 2/F radicals. The existence of a structured radiative transition near 6.1 eV is predicted for the NeH radical. The other rare gas hydrides exhibit only dissociation of the radical with the kinetic energy released explainable in terms of production of known electronic states of the radicals by near resonant electron transfer. For HeH and ArH the first excited electronic state (A /sup 2/..sigma../sup +/) is observed to efficiently predissociate into the repulsive ground state, whereas for KrH and XeH, lower limits of 4.5 and 3.9 eV, respectively, are determined for the energies of the corresponding excited states with respect to the separated ground state atoms.

• Research Organization: Department of Chemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556
• OSTI ID: 5464505
• Journal Information: J. Chem. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Chem. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 88:5; ISSN JCPSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640304* -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Collision Phenomena
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ARGON COMPOUNDS
ARGON HYDRIDES
ATOM COLLISIONS
BEAMS
CHARGE EXCHANGE
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLLISIONS
DISSOCIATION
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
ELEMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
EXCITED STATES
HELIUM COMPOUNDS
HELIUM HYDRIDES
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ION BEAMS
ION COLLISIONS
ION-ATOM COLLISIONS
IONS
MAGNESIUM
MERCURY
METALS
METASTABLE STATES
MOLECULAR IONS
NEON COMPOUNDS
NEON HYDRIDES
POTASSIUM
PREDISSOCIATION
RARE GAS COMPOUNDS
SODIUM