Dissociative electron capture in Ar8+N2 collisions

Abstract Single and multiple electron capture processes are studied in slow (200–400 eV/amu) collisions between Ar 8+ and molecular nitrogen. The amount of dissociative charge transfer reactions is determined as well as kinetic energies of the ionic fragments of N 2 q+ ( q = 1–6) ions. Dissociation energies are obtained from the kinetic energies of the molecular fragments. The following results are obtained: 7% of single electron capture leads to dissociation of N 2 + into N + N + and nearly 90% of the double electron capture results in fragmentation into N + + N + . If more than two electrons are captured, all N 2 q+ ions dissociate into N r + + N s + . For even values of q we observed r = s , otherwise r = s + 1; i.e. the maximum difference between r and s is 1. A near symmetric charge distribution among the resulting atomic ions is preferred.