Abstract

A detailed experimental as well as theoretical investigation of the properties of the metastable dissociation Ar-2(+)-->Ar++Ar is presented. The mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy (MIKE) scan technique has been performed using a three sector field mass spectrometer. The possible mechanisms of the metastability of Ar-2(+) have been examined and the observed decay process is assigned to the II(1/2)(u)-->I(1/2)(g) bound to continuum radiative transition, in agreement with earlier work. The calculation of the theoretical shape of the kinetic energy release distribution of fragment ions allowed us to construct the theoretical MIKE peak and compare it with the raw experimental data. The accuracy of various sets of potential energy curves for Ar-2(+) is discussed, as well as the way of production of the metastable Ar-2(+)[II(1/2)(u)] electronic state by electron impact. Excellent agreement between the experimental data and theoretical model has been observed. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

Department

Physics

Publication Date

10-15-2004

Journal Title

Journal of Chemical Physics

Publisher

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1063/1.1794011

Document Type

Article

Rights

© 2004 American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics.

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