Dynamics and kinetics of the metastable decay series: Ar/sub 3//sup +/*. -->. Ar/sub 2//sup +/*. -->. Ar/sup +/
Metastable decay of Ar/sup +//sup *//sub 3/ produced by electron impact ionization of a supersonic Ar cluster beam has been investigated qualitatively and quantitatively with a double focusing sector field mass spectrometer. We present direct experimental proof that the observed metastable decay of Ar/sup +//sup *//sub 3/ into Ar/sup +/ in the microsecond time regime proceeds predominantly via a sequential decay series Ar/sup +//sup *//sub 3/..-->../sup k//sup =/Ar/sup +//sup *//sub 2/..-->.. /sup k//sup =/Ar/sup +/ involving the evaporation of a single monomer in each of these successive decays. The metastable decay rates deduced are very different, i.e., k/sub 3,2/ = 45 s/sup -1/ and k/sub 2,1/ = 680 s/sup -1/ at an ion acceleration voltage of 3 kV. Moreover, the metastable decay rates of Ar/sup +//sup *//sub 3/ exhibit a strong dependence on time elapsed since electron impact production of the Ar/sup +//sub 3/, and on ion production parameters (i.e., size and internal excitation energy of the neutral precursor). For instance photodissociation (with visible laser light) of the neutral cluster beam leads to a dramatic increase of the observed metastable reaction rules yielding values of up to 100 000 3/sup -1/ in the ..mu..s time regime.
- Research Organization:
- Institut fuer Ionenphysik, Leopold Franzens Universitaet Technikerstr. 25, A 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- OSTI ID:
- 7128509
- Journal Information:
- J. Chem. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Chem. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 89:1; ISSN JCPSA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Collision Phenomena
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ADDUCTS
ARGON
ARGON IONS
BEAMS
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLLISIONS
DECAY
DISSOCIATION
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELECTRON-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
EXCITED STATES
FLUIDS
GASES
IONIZATION
IONS
KINETICS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
METASTABLE STATES
MOLECULAR BEAMS
MOLECULAR IONS
MOLECULE COLLISIONS
MOLECULES
NONMETALS
RARE GASES
SPECTROSCOPY