Product translational energy distributions and collision mechanics of the N+ + CO reaction

Abstract Using a tandem mass spectrometer, kinetic energies of the five products CO + , C + , O + , NO + , CN + of reactive N + + CO collisions have been measured in the forward direction with respect to the N + beam. While CO + is observed mainly close to zero energy in the lab system, corresponding to formation by glancing collisions, there is evidence for formation of C + and O + via an intermediate NCO + complex at low impact energies. The productions of NO + and CN + show a very clear transition from complex to stripping reaction mechanism between 5 and 20 eV lab . Highly excited NO + and CN + ions are formed up to impact energies of 60–70 eV lab in the c.m. forward direction. In addition, these ions are formed in the backward c.m. direction up to very high collision energies (at least 200 eV lab ). This is explained by a collinear knock-on mechanism.