Vibrationally inelastic scattering of H∼ ions from H2, N2, O2 and CO2

State-resolved measurements are presented for vibrational excitation of H₂, N₂, O₂ and CO₂ by H^? impact in the collision energy rangeE _cm=20–180 eV and for scattering in the forward direction (0±0.5°). The data obtained from the measurements are the relative intensities and differential cross sections for vibrational excitation up toν′=4, the transition probabilitiesP _0→ν′ and the vibrational energy transferΔE _vib. For the systems H^?-H₂, N₂, O₂ the vibrational inelasticity increases in the order H₂-N₂-O₂. The mechanism for vibrational excitation in these systems is due to transient charge transfer from the H^? ion into antibonding orbitals of the target molecule which provides a bond stretching force during the collision. For H₂ and N₂, the results are compared with corresponding measurements for H⁺ scattering where the interaction mechanism is quite different. In the case of CO₂, vibrational excitation in forward scattering is caused primarily by the long-range dipole interaction. The spectra are very similar for H^?-CO₂ and H⁺-CO₂. Finer details are attributed to the influence of transient charge transfer and valence interactions.