Dissociative excitation of benzene by electron impact

In the wavelength region 1850–9000 Å radiation from H, C and CH fragments is observed as a result of the dissociative excitation of benzene by electron impact (0–1000 eV). Emission cross sections and threshold energies have been determined for the Balmer series of the hydrogen atom and the A²Δ - X²Π emission of the CH fragment.     

Dissociative excitation of water by electron impact

Absolute emission cross sections and threshold energies have been measured for radiation (1850–9000Å) from excited fragments (OH, O and H) produced by electron impact (0–1000 eV) on water vapour. The results are compared with previous experiments and the discrepancies are discussed. The measurements indicate that hydroxyl radicals excited in the A² ∑⁺ state originate from excitation of both singlet and triplet states of the water molecule. Excited atomic fragments arise partly from predissociation of Rydberg states of the water molecule converging to the third ionization potential.     

Dissociative excitation and fragmentation of S8 by electron impact

The vacuum-ultraviolet emission spectrum from 136 nm to 168 nm following the dissociative excitation of a predominantly S(8) target by electron impact at 100 eV incident energy was measured. The relative cross sections for the dominant multiplets at 138.9, 142.9, 147.9, and 166.7 nm are presented. Excitation functions are shown for electron-impact energies from below threshold to 360 eV for the two most prominent emissions at 142.5 nm and 147.4 nm. Five thresholds are clearly apparent in both excitation functions. For the four highest energy channels, the energy separation between the adjacent thresholds is approximately constant and the cross sections reduce regularly as the threshold energies increase. We suggest possible fragmentation pathways of the dissociating S(8) molecule that reproduce the energies of our observed thresholds.     

Electron impact induced Balmer line emission from some aliphatic hydrocarbons

Absolute Balmer line emission cross sections are determined. The Balmer emission is obtained by dissociative electron excitation in propane, propylene and n-butane. The optical excitation functions measured for these lines are investigated in the medium energy range of 50–700 eV and normalized by a He bench-mark procedure. The measured data are corrected by an apparatus collection efficiency factor F to compensate for the loss of optical signal due to non-thermal energies of H-excited molecular fragments. The obtained results are determined with an accuracy of ± 15%. The absolute Balmer line cross sections are analysed according to the Bethe theory to get some information on primary excited parent molecular states. The power-law dependence for Balmer series has been determined.     

Calculated polarizabilities for some aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons

Ground-state molecular polarizabilities of some aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons have been calculated using the method of Marchese and Jaffé. The polarizability components for the typical normal alkane n-heptane are found to be very nearly independent of conformation; those for biphenyl show a significant dependence but the average polarizability is approximately constant. The polarizabilities of the n-alkanes in general are seriously underestimated, but relatively good agreement with experiment is obtained for benzene and biphenyl.     

CO inner-shell excitation studied by electron impact spectroscopy

The inner-shell excitation and decay of the CO molecule have been studied in electron impact experiments. The dipole-forbidden transition (1sσ_c)⁻¹(2pπ) ³Π has been characterized by angular resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy and its decay via the measurement of resonant Auger spectra. The contribution of the (1sσ_c)⁻¹(2pπ) ³Π state to the CO resonant Auger spectrum in the region of the “spectator transitions” has been isolated and the population of CO⁺ quartet final states has been observed.     

Dissociative excitation of water by metastable argon

The reaction Ar(²P_2,0) + H₂O → Ar + H + OH(A²Σ⁺)was studied in crossed molecular beams by observing the luminescence from OH(A²Σ⁺). No significant dependence of the spectrum on collision energy was found over the 22–52 meV region. Spectral simulation was used to obtain the OH(A) vibrational distribution and rotational temperature, assuming a Boltzmann rotational distribution. Since predissociation is known to strongly affect the rovibrational distribution, the individual rotational state lifetimes were included in the simulation program and were used to obtain the average vibrational state lifetimes. Excellent agreement with experiment was obtained for vibrational population ratios N₀/N₁/N₂ of 1.00/ 0.40/0.013 and a rotational temperature of 4000 K. Correction for the different average vibrational lifetimes gave formation rate ratios P₀/P₁/P₂ of 1.00/0.49/0.25. The differences between these results and those from flowing afterglow studies on the same system are discussed. Three reaction mechanisms are considered, and the vibrational prior distributions are calculated from a simple density-of-states model. Only fair agreement with experiment is obtained. The best agreement for the mechanisms giving OH(A) in two 2-body dissociation steps is obtained by assuming 1.0 eV of internal energy remains in the second step. The OH(A) vibrational population distribution of the present work is similar to that found in the photolysis of H₂O at 122 nm, where there is 1.10 eV of excess internal energy.     

Threshold electron impact excitation of acetylene

Threshold electron energy loss spectra for acetylene are presented and assignments suggested for the excitation processes occuring.     

In-beam electron impact mass spectrometry of aliphatic alcohols

The characteristics of the in-beam electron impact mass spectra of six isomers of undecanol as well as several 1-alkanols have been examined. In addition to the characteristic ions observed in the conventional electron impact spectra, the [2M+1]⁺, [2M+1-H₂O]⁺, [2M+1-2H₂O]⁺, [2M-R or R′]⁺, [2M-H₂O? R or R′]⁺, [2M? 2H₂O? R or R′]⁺ and [M+1? H₂O]⁺ peaks are common in the in-beam electron impact mass spectra of the undecanol isomers of structure RCH(OH)R′. Deuterium labelling experiments have shown that the extra proton in the protonated dimer ions, [2M+1]⁺, originates from the hydroxy group. The processes which produce the important peaks in the high m/e regions are discussed.     

Triplet states in the dissociative excitation of water by electron impact

The electron-impact excitation of water has been reinvestigated over the energy range 9–180 eV. Energy-dependent pressure effects have been observed. It is suggested that these are due to production of one or more triplet states of water which undergo collisionally assisted predissociation. Threshold energies for these processes have been determined.     

Vibrational and electronic excitation in p-benzoquinone by electron impact

Vibrational and electronic excitation by electron impact in p-benzoquinone was studied using a trochoidal electron spectrometer. Two distinct patterns of vibrational excitation were observed. First, low quanta of a few selected vibrations are specifically excited at incident electron energies corresponding to shape resonances. Some resonances excite mainly the CO stretch, others the CH stretch vibration, and this selectivity is used in the discussion of the assignment of the resonances. A second pattern is an unspecific excitation of a quasi-continuum where no structure due to individual vibrational levels can be discerned. This feature peaks at threshold, large amounts of vibrational energy can be deposited in the molecule, and the excitation also proceeds via shape resonances. Electronic excitation spectra in the valence and Rydberg regions are also presented and discussed. A band observed at 4.37 eV with low residual energies has been tentatively assigned to the second π — π* triplet state ³B_3g.     

Comments on the threshold excitation spectrum of carbon monoxide by electron impact

The SF^?₆ threshold electron impact excitation spectrum of CO, in the 10 eV region, recorded with an improved resolution, confirms previous results obtained at lower resolution with the help of a deconvolution procedure.     

Dissociative electron transfer reactions

We consider recent data on dissociative electron transfer reactions in which the electron transfer causes practically concerted dissociation of the chemical bond in the reagent. We discuss considerable experimental data on reactions in the gas phase and in solutions, and also existing theoretical models for describing the kinetics of these complex processes. Translated from Teoreticheskaya i éksperimental’naya Khimiya, Vol. 34, No. 2, pp. 67–78, March–April, 1998.     

Dissociative excitation of the singly charged lead ion in electron collisions with PbCl2 molecules

Inelastic collisions of slow electrons with lead dichloride molecules yielding excited lead ions in a single encounter event were studied by the extended crossed-beam technique. At an incident electron energy of 100 eV, 67 cross sections for dissociative excitation of PbII spectral lines were measured. Three optical excitation functions were determined in the electron energy range 0–100 eV. The obtained results are compared with data on excitation cross sections of PbII in electron-atom collisions.     

Study of electron impact excitation of atoms through lasers

We discuss three different experiments for studying electron-excitation of atoms where lasers have been used in combination. These are stepwise electron–photon excitation, superelastic electron scattering from laser excited atoms and excitation of atoms using spin polarized electrons produced by lasers. We present distorted wave calculations and compare our results with the recently reported such experimental measurements. In particular, the results for the alignment and orientation of the excited n ²P states of K ($n=4$) and Rb ($n=5$) atoms and the spin parameters for the lowest excited ¹P₁ and ³P_0,1,2 states of argon by polarized electrons are presented and discussed.     

Reaction orders of radiation-induced dechlorinations of some aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons in aqueous solutions

Previously obtained data regarding radiation-induced dechlorination of some aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), chloroform (CHCl₃) and tetrachloromethane (CCl₄) in aqueous solutions were used for determination of formal reaction order of dechlorination. The influence of various factors on this process was investigated. It was found that the formal reaction order changes in the course of reaction and may depend on the initial concentration of chlorinated hydrocarbons.     

Low-energy electron impact excitation of 1,3,5-trans-hexatriene

Electronic excitation by low energy electron impact has been studied for 1,3,5-traps-hexatriene. At ≈ 4.2 eV, a weak absorption is observed. On the basis of the results of semi-empirical calculations this absorption can be assigned to the second triplet state.     

Dissociative photoionization of adenine following valence excitation

We present results on the valence level excitation, ionization and dissociation of adenine, using time-of-flight mass spectrometry and synchrotron radiation, in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) range of 12-21 eV. The measurements were performed using a gas-phase (Ne) harmonics filter in order to eliminate contributions from higher-order harmonics. Mass spectra were obtained using the photoelectron-photoion coincidence technique (PEPICO). The relative abundances for each ionic fragment and their mean kinetic energy release have been determined from the analysis of the corresponding peak shapes in the mass spectra. Comparison with the available photoelectron spectra and previous measurements allowed the assignment of the main features in the spectra. A discussion on the dissociative photoionization channels of this molecule has also been included. Due to our harmonics-free incident photon beam we were able to propose new appearance energy (AE) for the most important ionic channels in this energy range. The precursor ion, C(5)H(5)N(5)+, is the most abundant species (40% at 15 eV and 20% at 20 eV), which confirms the high stability of adenine upon absorption of VUV photons. We have observed other intense fragment ions such as: C(4)H(4)N(4)+, C(3)H(3)N(3) (+), C(2)H(2)N(2)+ and HCNH+. The production of the neutral HCN fragment represents up to 40% of the dissociative channels for this molecule as induced by VUV photons.