Experimental confirmation of the Jahn--Teller distortion of CH/sub 4//sup +/

Journal Article · Tue Jan 15 04:00:00 EST 1980 · J. Chem. Phys.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5756440

Gemmell, D S; Kanter, E P; Pietsch, W J

We report measured energy and angular distributions for H/sup +/ and C/sup n/+ (n=2,3,4) fragments resulting from the collisional dissociation of 194 keV/amu Ch/sub n//sup +/ (n=0--4) in thin carbon foils. From the systematic trends of these ''Coulomb explosion'' spectra, one can obtain qualitative information on the structures of these species. In particular, the series displays a narrowing of the carbon angular and energy widths as protons are symmetrically added around a central carbon atom and provide a ''focusing'' effect. Because of the Jahn--Teller distortion, the widths measured for CH/sub 4//sup +/ are dramatically increased. (AIP)

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439
• OSTI ID: 5756440
• Journal Information: J. Chem. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Chem. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 72:2; ISSN JCPSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640304* -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Collision Phenomena
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ALKANES
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION
ATOM COLLISIONS
CARBON
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLLISIONS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SPECTRA
FLUIDS
FOILS
HYDROCARBONS
ION COLLISIONS
ION-ATOM COLLISIONS
IONS
JAHN-TELLER EFFECT
METHANE
MOLECULAR IONS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SPECTRA