Photofragment spectroscopy of SO+ in the wavelength range from 308–514.5 nm

The direct photodissociation process SO⁺+hv→S⁺+O has been studied using the technique of ion photofragment spectroscopy. The kinetic energy distribution of the S⁺ photofragments has been measured for selected wavelengths in the range λ=308–514.5 nm. Transitions from the metastablea ⁴∏ state to the dissociative 1⁴∑⁺ state as well as from theX ²∏ ground state to a higher-lying²∏ state have been observed. From the vibrationally resolved kinetic energy spectra, the potential curve of the repulsive 1⁴∑⁺ state has been determined for the range of internuclear distancesR=3.0–4.5a ₀. In addition, the analysis gives the vibrational population of the SO⁺ (a ⁴∏) ions after dissociative electron-impact ionization of SO₂ in the low-pressure monoplasmatron ion source.