Photodissociation Dynamics of Carbon Dioxide Cation via the Vibrationally Mediated Ã2Πu,1/2 State: A Time-Sliced Velocity-Mapped Ion Imaging Study

We report on the photodissociation dynamics of CO₂⁺ via its òΠ_u,1/2 state using the scheme of [1+1] photon excitation that is intermediated by the mode-selected òΠ_u,1/2( u1,u2,0) vibronic states. Photodissociation fragment exciation spectrum and images of photofragment CO⁺ have been measured to obtain reaction dynamics parameters such as the available energy and the average translational energy. Combining with the potential energy functions of CO₂⁺, the dissociation mechanism of CO₂⁺ is discussed. The conformational variation of CO₂⁺ from linear to bent on the photodissociation dynamics of CO₂⁺ is verified.     

Theoretical electronic structure of the lowest-lying states of the YI molecule

CAS-SCF/MRCI calculations have been performed for 15 molecular states in the representation ^2S+1Λ^(+/−) (neglecting spin–orbit effects) for the molecule YI. The corresponding 33 molecular states in the representation Ω^(+/−) (including spin–orbit effects) have been calculated using a semi-empirical spin–orbit pseudopotential built up for yttrium. Calculated potential energy curves and spectroscopic constants are reported, to the best of our knowledge they are the first ones from ab initio methods for this molecule. Present results are compared to experimental accurate data available for the ground X¹Σ⁺ and 3 excited states (1)¹Π, (2)¹Σ⁺ and (2)¹Π.     

Collision complex formation in the low-energy dynamics of the C+ + O2 reaction

A crossed beam study of CO⁺ production from the C⁺ + O₂ reaction at a collision energy of 0.57 eV is presented. Very clear collision complex dynamics are observed which are shown to be consistent with the decay of a transient complex having a lifetime of approximately 0.5 ps. An analysis of the reactive scattering using an adiabatic state correlation diagram indicates that the formation of X-state CO₂⁺ by insertion of C⁺ into the O₂ bond is accessible from the reagents and correlates adiabatically with ground-state products. The average kinetic energy release is approximately 23% of the available energy. A comparison of the present data with the chemiluminescent studies of A-state production of CO⁺ indicates that the dominant channels at low energies are production of ground-state CO⁺ through the X²Π_g and a⁴Π_u state of CO₂⁺.     

SO+(A2Π-X2Πr) emission produced from a dissociative charge-transfer reaction of He+ with SO2 at thermal energy

The extensive bands observed from the helium afterglow reaction of SO₂ in the 250–540 nm region are assigned to the new SO⁺(A²Π-X²Π_r) system produced from the He⁺/SO₂ dissociative charge-transfer reaction at thermal energy. They had been erroneously interpreted as the SO⁺₂ (C?-X?) system produced from He(2³S)/SO₂ Penning ionization. The spectroscopic constants for the SO⁺A²Π) and SO⁺(X²Π_r) states were determined.     

Potential energy and dipole moment of the Na2+ ionic molecule

The potential energy curves of 26 electronic states of ²Σ⁺_{g, u}, ²Π_{g, u}, and ²Δ_{g, u} symmetries of the alkali dimer Na₂⁺, dissociating up to Na(4d) + Na⁺, are investigated using an ab initio approach involving a nonempirical pseudopotential for the Na⁺(1s²2s²2p⁶) core and core‐valence correlation corrections. Furthermore, the transition dipole functions between many electronic states and vibrational energy spacings are presented. The spectroscopic constants of these electronic states are extracted and compared with the available theoretical and experimental results. A very good agreement is observed, especially, for the ground and the first excited states. However, the comparison between our study and the model potential (MP) calculations (Magnier and Masnnou‐Seeuws Mol. Phys. 1996, 89, 711) for several states has shown a clear disagreement. The MP well depths of the 3‐4²Σ⁺_g, 1²Π_g, 3‐4²Π_g, and 2²Π_u electronic states are largely underestimated. In addition, the 5‐7²Σ⁺_g, 3‐7²Σ⁺_u, 2²Π_g, 4²Π_g, and 1‐2²Δ_u MP electronic states are repulsive, although in this work, they are attractive with potential well depths of some hundreds of cm^?1. The data presented in this study are very useful for studies on ion–atom interaction and cold collision in the presence of electromagnetic fields. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The effect of internal excitation on the collision induced dissociation of I+2(2Πg,υ) ions

Cross sections for collision induced dissociation of 0.65 to 3.2 keV I⁺₂(²Π_g, υ) ions in I⁺₂(²Π_g, υ) + N₂(X ¹Σ⁺_g, υ = 0) interactions have been determined. Reaction cross sections for I⁺₂(²Π_{$\text{3}\text{2}$,g}, υ) ions in low vibrational levels vary smoothly from 6 to 10 A² with increasing kinetic energy. Dissociation cross sections for I⁺₂(²Π_{$\text{1}\text{2}$,g}, υ) ions are larger than those involving ground state ions. Processes involving highly excited metastable states of I⁺₂ are not observed in this investigation.     

High-resolution UV photoelectron spectroscopy of diatomic halogens

Diatomic halogens are studied with UV photoelectron spectroscopy using new techniques to preserve high resolution even for reactive species. For the first time vibrational structure is observed on the ²Π_u,i (i = ^1/2,^3/2) states (F₂⁺, Cl₂⁺), the ²Σ_g⁺ states (F₂⁺, Cl₂⁺) and the Br₂⁺ (²Π_{u,$\text{3}\text{2}$}) state. On the ²Π_u,i states (F₂⁺, Cl₂⁺, Br₂⁺) spin-orbit splitting is resolved. Indications for a small potential barrier on the F₂⁺ (²Π_u,i) state for large internuclear distances are found. A new value for the spin-orbit splitting of the Cl₂⁺(²Π_g) state is presented (= ?725 cm^?1). The complementary nature of optical emission and photoelectron spectroscopy for small ions is demonstrated leading to a more complete picture of the F₂⁺ (²Π_u,i) and Cl₂⁺ (²Π_u,i) ionic states.     

Electronic autoionization in carbon monoxide: the effects of the vibrational motion

New continuous measurements of the vibrationally resolved photoionization cross sections of CO⁺ X ²Σ⁺ and A ²Π between 63 and 83 nm are reported. We assign the Rydberg series converging to CO⁺ A ²Π. The effects of the vibrational motion are interpreted on the basis of the Condon approximation. This approximation is shown to allow a qualitative understanding of the decay of the Rydberg series converging to the A ²Π and B ²Σ⁺ states of CO⁺.     

O‐loss photodissociation of the OCS+ ion in the low‐lying electronic states studied using multiconfiguration second‐order perturbation theory

The CASPT2 potential energy curves (PECs) for O‐loss dissociation from the X²Π, A²Π, B²Σ⁺, C²Σ⁺, 1⁴Σ^?, 1²Σ^?, and 1⁴Π states of the OCS⁺ ion were calculated. The PEC calculations indicate that X²Π, 1⁴Σ^?, 1²Σ^?, and 1⁴Π correlate with CS⁺(X²Σ⁺) + O(³P_g); A²Π and B²Σ⁺ correlate with CS⁺(A²Π) + O(³P_g); and C²Σ⁺ probably correlates with CS⁺(X²Σ⁺) + O(¹D_g). The CASSCF minimum energy crossing point (MECP) calculations were performed for the C²Σ⁺/1⁴Σ^?, C²Σ⁺/1⁴Π, A²Π/1⁴Σ^?, A²Π/1²Σ^?, A²Π/1⁴Π, and B²Σ⁺/1²Σ^? state pairs and the spin‐obit couplings were calculated at the located MECPs. A conical intersection point between the B²Σ⁺ and C²Σ⁺ potential energy surfaces was found at the CASSCF level. Based on our calculations, seven O‐loss predissociation processes of the C²Σ⁺ state are suggested and an appearance potential value of 7.13 eV for the CS⁺ + O product group is predicted. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Penning ionization electron spectrometry of hydrogen iodide

The energy spectra of electrons released in thermal energy ionizing collisions of metastable helium and neon atoms with hydrogen iodide have been measured with high resolution and low background. The electron spectra, obtained for a mixed He(2¹ S, 2³ S) beam, a pure He(2³ S) beam, and a mixed Ne(3s ³ P ₂,³ P ₀) beam, are all characterized by the formation of theX ²Π _i andA ²Σ⁺ states of HI⁺. For both He(2¹ S) + HI and He(2³ S) + HI the spectra exhibit some broad features in the medium electron energy range which are attributed to ionization from an additional charge exchanged potential surface (He⁺ + HI^?) in the entrance channel. For the first time, we have detected the low energy electrons in the He(2¹ S, 2³ S) spectra due to autoionization of I** atoms which result from energy transfer to highly excited, dissociative HI** Rydberg states. The HI⁺ (X)²Π_3/2:²Π_1/2 fine-structure branching ratios vary significantly with the ionizing agent in a similar way as for the isoelectronic, atomic target case xenon.     

Case studies in multiphoton ionisation and dissociation of Na2

Dissociative ionisation of Na₂ via the 3s 3d ¹Σ _g and¹Π _g states has been studied in the near threshold energy regime up to 120 meV above the three particle (Na⁺ + Na(3s) +e ^?) break up limit. A pulsed, cold molecular beam, pulsed laser 2 colour 3 photon resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionisation, and kinetic energy analysis of the fragments by a time of flight method (KETOF) is used. As series of vibrational levels in the two intermediate 3s 3d Rydberg states are excited, slow Na⁺ fragments are observed with a maximum kinetic energy given by the excess energy of the 2 + 1 photon process above threshold, thus confirming a direct dissociative ionisation process. The intensity distribution of the Na⁺ fragments shows a very pronounced maximum at zero kinetic energy, its shape differing somewhat for the¹Σ _g and¹Π _g intermediate states. Also observed is a strong signal of fast fragments arising from a typical 4 photon process which leads to dissociation of Na ₂ ⁺ molecules in their electronic ground state.     

Low-lying states of cs22+

Using an MC SCF CI method, wavefunctions for the ground state ¹∑⁺_g and the excited states of the symmetries ¹∑⁺_g, ¹Π_g, and ¹Δ_g of the Cs²⁺₂ ionic system are generated. The potential curves for eleven ¹∑⁺_g twelve ¹Π_g, and six ¹Δ_g states are calculated. Results suggest a small charge-transfer cross section for the reaction CS⁺ + Cs⁺ → Cs CS²⁺.     

The energy balance and branching ratios associated with the chemiluminescent reaction Si(3P) + N2O(1Σ) → SiO*(a3Σ+, b3Π, A1Π) + N2(υ″ ⩾ 5) — possible formation of vibrationally excited N2

Silicon atoms react under single collision conditions with N₂O to yield chemiluminescent emission corresponding to the SiO a³Σ⁺?X¹Σ⁺ and b³Π?X¹Σ⁺ intercombination systems and the A¹Π?X¹Σ⁺ band system. A most striking feature of the SiN₂O reaction is the energy balance associated with the formation of SiO product molecules in the A¹Π and b³Π states. A significant energy discrepancy ( = 10000 cm^? = 1.24 eV) is found between the available energy to populate the highest energetically accessible excited-state quantum levels and the highest quantum level from which emission is observed. It is suggested that this discrepancy may result from the formation of vibrationally excited N₂ in a concerted fast SiN₂O reactive encounter. Emission from the SiO a³Σ⁺ (A¹Π) and b³Π(A¹Π, E¹Σ₀⁺) triplet-state manifold results primarily from intensity borrowing involving the indicated singlet states. Perturbation calculations indicate the magnitude of the mixing between the b³Π, A¹Π and E¹Σ₀⁺ states ranges between 0.5 and 2%. On the basis of these calculations, the branching ratio (excited triplet)/(excited singlet) is found to be well in excess of 500. An approximate vibrational population distribution is deduced for those molecules formed in the b³Π state. The present studies are correlated with those of previous workers in order to provide an explanation for diverse relaxation effects as well as observed changes in the ratio of a³Σ⁺ to b³Π emission as a function of pressure and experimental environment. Some of these effects are attributable to a strong coupling between the a³Σ⁺ and b³Π state. Based on the current results, there appears to be little correlation between either (1) the branching ratio for excited state formation or (2) the total absolute cross section for excited-state formation and (3) the measured quantum yield for the SiN₂O reaction. Implications for chemical laser development are considered.     

Ab initio calculations of doublet states of NH+

The eight low-lying doublet states of the NH⁺ ion are investigated with an ab initio configuration interaction method including all single and double excitations from a multi-reference configuration space (MRSD CI). The spectroscopic constants for the X²Π, A²Σ⁻,B²Δ and C²Σ⁺ states and the transition moments for X²Π-A ²Σ⁻¹ and X²Π-B²Δ are calculated. The results are compared with experiments and other calculations.     

Valence electronic states of NH2+ and PH2+ dications

The ab initio second-order effective valence-shell Hamiltonian that is based on the multireference many-body perturbation theory has been applied to determine adiabatic potential energy curves for the valence states of NH²⁺ and PH²⁺ dications. For PH²⁺, three low-lying quasi-bound states (X¹∑⁺, a³ Π, A¹Π) are found and their spectroscopic constants are characterized. In NH²⁺, no quasi-bound states are found. The potential energy curves for NH²⁺ are compared with those for PH²⁺ to understand the difference between these two valence isoelectronic cations. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Vibrational analysis of the SO+ (A2Π−χ2Πr) emission system by an isotopic study

Absolute vibrational quantum numbers for the SO⁺ (A²Π—χ²Π_r) emission system have been determined by measurement of isotope shifts between S¹⁶O⁺ and S¹⁸O⁺ bands. It has been found that the tentative ν″ values reported previously should be decreased by one vibrational quantum number, The definite molecular constants for the SO⁺ (A²Π,χ²Π_r) states are determined and compared with photoelectron spectroscopic data.     

First observation of the M 2Σ+ → E2Σ+ (0—0) transition in NO

The emission spectrum of NO excited by electric discharge has been recorded with a high-resolution Fourier transform interferometer. Strong perturbations are observed in the spectrum of the transition M²Σ⁺→ E²Σ⁺ (0—0), due to mixing of the Rydberg state M²Σ⁺(v = 0) with valence states B²Π(v = 22, 23) and L²Π(v = 3). Accurate energies for the M²Σ⁺ rotational levels are given.     

Ab initio calculations on low-lying electronic states of PdH

Potential energy curves for the low-lying electronic states of PdH have been calculated using the MRCI method with scalar relativistic and spin-orbit corrections, and all electronic states correlating to the 4d¹⁰ (¹S), 4d⁹ 5s¹ (³D), 4d⁹ 5s¹ (¹D) and 4d⁸ 5s² (³F) states of Pd were included. Potential energy curves for the individual Ω states have been obtained, and the experimentally observed spectra of both PdH and PdD isotopologues have been assigned appropriately based on the ab initio results. Einstein A coefficients were calculated for other possible transitions from the low-lying electronic states to the X²Σ⁺ ground state. Diagonal and off-diagonal matrix elements of the spin-orbit Hamiltonian were calculated for all vibrational levels of the X²Σ⁺, 1²Δ, 1²Π, 2²Σ⁺ and 3²Σ⁺ states, and it was found from the eigenvectors that the vibrational wavefunctions of the 1²Δ_3/2 and 1²Π_3/2 states are mixed significantly in both PdH and PdD isotopologues.     

Electronic,spectra, and spin orbit interaction for FrAr van der Waals system

The potential energy curves and spectroscopic constants of the ground and many excited states of the FrAr van der Waals system have been determined using a one‐electron pseudopotential approach. The Fr⁺ core and the electron–Ar interactions are replaced by effective potentials. The Fr⁺Ar core–core interaction is incorporated using the accurate CCSD(T) potential of Hickling et al. (Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2004, 6, 4233). This approach reduces the number of active electrons of the FrAr van der Waals system to only one valence electron, which permits the use of very large basis sets for the Fr and Ar atoms. Using this technique, the potential energy curves of the ground and many excited states are calculated at the self consistent field (SCF) level. In addition, the spin–orbit interaction is also considered using the semiempirical scheme for the states dissociating into Fr (7p) and Fr (8p). The FrAr system is not studied previously and its potential interactions, spectroscopic constants and dipole functions are presented here for the first time. Furthermore, we have predicted the X²Σ⁺–A²Π_1/2, X²Σ⁺–AΠ_3/2, X²Σ⁺–B²Σ_1/2⁺, X²Σ⁺–3²Π_1/2, X²Σ⁺–3²Π_3/2, and X²Σ⁺–5²Σ_1/2⁺ absorption spectra. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Rotational analysis of the a3Π0+,1-X1Σ+ emission systems of GeH+

New emission systems have been observed from the helium afterglow reaction of GeH₄ in the 520–610 nm region. On the basis of the rotational analysis, they were assigned to the a ³Π_0⁺-X¹Σ⁺ and a³Π₁-X¹Σ⁺ subsystems of GeH⁺. Spectroscopic constants have been determined for the GeH⁺ (a³Π_0⁺, a³Π₁, X¹Σ⁺) states.